Updated at 4:20 PM: MLive’s Ansar Khan took note of Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s comments made to the media this morning, as well as those of coach Derek Lalonde, regarding MBN’s attempts to master an incredibly steep learning curve–learning the North American hockey game–at 18 years of age:
“If I will not make the team this year, next year I will have one more year of experience with training camp and stuff,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “I’ll know the system more and will probably be more comfortable.”
A good-sized two-way winger with a terrific shot, Brandsegg-Nygard (6-1, 206) will skate on a line centered by 2022 first-round pick Marco Kasper and Elmer Soderblom [tonight vs. Chicago]. He also will get some time on the power play, on the left flank.
“North American game is a lot different,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “Even the pace of practice, pace of the game. At the same time, you still want him to flourish and grow with his offense. You want the puck on a stick.”
The Norwegian-born Brandsegg-Nygard, the 15th overall selection, started training last month with Skelleftea AIK in Sweden’s top men’s league. He doesn’t anticipate the smaller ice being an adjustment like it often is for European players.
“Where I’m from in Norway, we have an NHL-size rink, so it’s not like the first time I played on it,” he said.
“The game is a lot faster, smaller ice in the end zones, but also it feels like you can shoot from almost anywhere because it’s so close to the net. … I feel like I have a pretty quick release and will try to use it as best as possible.”
Update: Here’s Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s take on Brandsegg-Nygard, per the Hockey News’s Connor Eargood:
“The North American game is a lot different, it’s just the reality of it,” Lalonde said Wednesday. “I think it’s going to be very beneficial for him. Even the pace of practice, even the pace of the game. At the same time, you still want him to flourish and grow with his offense, with the puck on his stick. Where’s it going to allow him (to do that)?”
The next question — where Brandsegg-Nygård does that growing — is very important.
Should Detroit let Brandsegg-Nygård play another season in Sweden, where comfort with both expectations and his teammates could lead to an easier transition, but also might take his development at a slower pace? Or should the Red Wings bring him over to the AHL, where his big size and nose for the net could make him an instant scoring threat, but also where speeding up his development arc might cause some challenges as he navigates the change of scenery. And look, technically the NHL is still an option. But unless he scores something like 10 goals in these preseason games, it’s just not happening.
Brandsegg-Nygård has options, and all eyes are on these next few preseason games to inform his decision.
“I think this will be very beneficial, and I still think I like the approach of (Detroit) being open about him staying over here this year, or going back,” Lalonde praised. “I think that’s a luxury you don’t see a lot Credit back to our management group, the relationships they have with his European team.”
