A trio of columnists discuss the Red Wings’ drafting of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 draft yesterday night in Las Vegas.
We’ll start with the Free Press’s Jeff Seidel, who reports that there was a palpable “buzz” at Little Caesars Arena’s draft party when MBN was drafted…
Back in Little Caesars Arena, as the selection was made, everybody screamed, and the goal horn went off. Spotlights danced around the crowd and the Wings logo swirled. T-shirts were thrown into the crowd, and everybody was up, screaming and waving, as Journey blared over the loudspeakers:
“Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit!”
It felt like the Wings had won a game. The vibe was electric.
But there really is only one huge question: Will he make it? Will he become a player? A star?
Who knows.
It’s an absolute crapshoot when you are drafting teenagers.
But that hardly mattered on this night. Because as everybody walked out of the arena, it sounded — and felt — like a Wings win.
The Free Press’s Helene St. James got the scoop on MBN from Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and assistant GM/director of amateur scouting Kris Draper…
“We think he brings a physical presence,” assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “Big strong kid. Certainly doesn’t back down of getting in corners, finishing checks, gets around the hard areas.
“I was at an exhibition game in Riga and they were playing Latvia. It was an incredible environment to watch that game and he was one of the guys that was driving Team Norway, which was great to see. And there’s room to grow. I easily think he’s going to be able to play at 215-220, to be a big strong kid.”
Brandsegg-Nygård will be teammates next season with Axel Sandin Pellikka, the Wings’ promising young defenseman who was a first-round pick in 2023 [with Skelleftea AIK]
“It’s a very good team there, nice to have a few kids in the same program,” Yzerman said. “Most importantly, he’s on a good team in a good organization, and it will be a really good transition for him moving up from Allsvenskan into the SHL.”
And MLive’s Ansar Khan noted Yzerman and Draper’s remarks, as well as those of Brandsegg-Nygard himself:
Brandsegg-Nygard said he experienced an adrenaline rush when he heard Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidstrom, who announced the pick, start off by saying “From Mora …”
“It was pretty cool to experience it,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “(Lidstrom) is a big guy in Sweden and in the NHL, too, so it was pretty cool that was him to say my name.”
The Red Wings took Brandsegg-Nygard over, among others, forwards Cole Eiserman of the U.S. National Team Development Program (selected 19th by the Islanders) and Michigan-bound Michael Hage (selected 20th by Montreal).
“When I saw Detroit was on the clock I hoped for it,” he said. “It’s pretty cool to be with an Original Six team that has a lot of history.”
He mentioned fellow Norwegian Mats Zuccarello of the Minnesota Wild as his role model; they were teammates at the World Championship. Alex Ovechkin is one of his favorite players.
“I know Mats Zuccarello was a big role model,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “I look up to him. It was good to see a Norwegian play in the NHL. Hopefully, I can be a role model for young players in Norway and help hockey in Norway to be more popular and one day be a big hockey nation.”
