It looks like we all ought to bookmark Nitten.no, because the website has posted a second Norwegian-language story about Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard in three days.
On Saturday, Red Wings Prospects on Twitter spotted an article in which Brandsegg-Nygard explained that his signing to an entry-level contract by the Red Wings means that he may end up playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins instead of Skelleftea AIK this upcoming season, presuming that he has a good training camp with the Wings.
This morning, Red Wings Prospects alerts us to a second article in which reporter Wegard Bakkehaug asked Anders Myrvold, the former Red Wings defenseman and GM of Brandsegg-Nygard and Stian Solberg’s “parent club,” Valerenga, whether MBN and his friend Solberg (an Anaheim Ducks draft pick) should play in the SHL this upcoming season.
Here’s a rough translation of the article:
Myrvold: This will be perfect for both boys
Anders Myrvold believes that playing in the SHL this upcoming season is the perfect “next step” for the Valerenga boys Stian Solberg and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Stian Solberg will move to Karlstad, Sweden on August 1st and will play for Farjestads BK next season, even though he recently signed an “entry-level contract” with the Anaheim Ducks.
Michale Brandsegg-Nygard signed the same kind of three-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings just before last weekend.
The signings trigger around 4.2 million Norwegian Kroner in compensation for Valerenga, who are very proud to have produced two 18-year-olds who both became historic when they were drafted in the 1st round earlier this summer.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for them. This will be perfect for both boys,” says Valerenga GM Anders Myrvold to Nitten.no.
Believes in SHL games
He made his debut in the NHL himself as a 19-year-old, and now Myrvold feels that it was a little too early. He believes that Brandsegg-Nygard will also be seen in the SHL, playing for Skelleftea next season, even if the Oslo native is wanted to attend the Red Wings’ training camp in September.
“The SHL is a great step and one level up for both Stian and Michael. We’re talking about two of Europe’s best teams here. They must produce and master playing many games at a higher level. That will be a new experience for them,” says Myrvold.
Brandsegg-Nygard himself told Nitten.no on Saturday that he’ll return to the U.S.A. in September, and that, in theory, he could end up in the NHL, AHL, or SHL.
“The Red Wings want me to come back for training camp to try and earn a place on the team. It’s obviously going to be very, very difficult. But I’m going to do everything I can, and everyone obviously wants to play in the NHL, but it’s a very difficult goal right now. I doubt it will happen,” says the Valerenga IF product, who has played for Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan for the past two seasons.
Support for Myrvold
Myrvold agrees with Brandsegg-Nygard’s analysis, and he predicts that the 18-year-old will be seen playing for Skelleftea this autumn, but at the same time, he says:
“He’ll enter the NHL camp there and play x number of exhibition games together with the best players. In those games, the team will form a clear picture of whether he’s ready for this already or not. If they think that he can take a spot, then maybe they will keep him and use him for a few games.”
But do you think that it will be Skelleftea?
“It’s an extremely good place to be for Michael. It seems like a very reasonable [outcome]. But as I understand it, he had a very good [summer development] camp recently, he’s mature for his age, and can act like a senior player. Detroit hasn’t made the playoffs in several years, and GM Steve Yzerman is working on putting together a team for the future. At this level, Michael will compete against incredibly good players.”
“But! He has everything to win. If he impresses and maybe scores in an exhibition game, maybe they try him alongside Patrick Kane in the next one. Maybe he scores again, and they decide to go for it. Anything can happen!”
We can all hope for the best for MBN, but I do think that the most likely outcome for him will be a return to Sweden to play for Skelleftea AIK, where he’ll be playing on the same team as Axel Sandin Pellikka.
If MBN really impresses, the Wings may consider starting him in Grand Rapids with some sort of “out clause” which allows him to head back to Sweden, but the Wings have had more than one Swedish player (see: Dick Axelsson, Stefan Liv, Mattias Ritola) come over to play in Grand Rapids early, only for that player to get homesick and go back to Scandinavia.
I don’t think that he’s going to be subjected to those repeated six-hour bus rides to Rockford, Chicago and Milwaukee unless he’s absolutely ready for the grind.
