I initially scratched my head a little bit at The Hockey News prospect guru Tony Ferrari’s list of the “Young NHL Players Needing a Strong Training Camp in the Atlantic Division,” but Ferrari makes a good point here:
Detroit Red Wings: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW
The Red Wings have several players that easily fit into this category. You could look at the blueline where Simon Edvinsson is all but assured a spot in the lineup. Albert Johansson is a low-ceiling defensive prospect who has shown to be a reliable defensive presence and he is no longer waiver-exempt, so does he earn a role on their crowded blueline? Up front, Carter Mazur is looking to find a role in the middle six while recent first-round picks, Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper, are looking to make good impressions in hopes of getting some NHL playing time.
The most interesting player at Wings camp is a player who may not actually have much of a shot at making the team this year in Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. He plays a smart, powerful game and he has a number of NHL-ready tools but he is still a long shot to make this team. The winger is going to get a good look at what areas of his game need to take a step forward before heading back to Sweden for the season and that could set him up for his first North American season next year.
Continued; I suppose that’s a fair assessment. MBN probably won’t make the Red Wings’ roster, but he’s going to find out very quickly what aspects of his development need work as he jumps from the HockeyAllsvenskan and SHL preseason to playing with NHL competition.
