The Red Wings drafted Liam Dower Nilsson back in 2021, and then Detroit drafted Liam’s brother, Noah, in 2023.
Liam chose to stay with Bjorkloven, which was playing in the Allsvenskan at the time, when the Red Wings wanted him to come over to the AHL, so the Wings chose not to sign Liam;
Noah signed his entry-level contract this past spring.
Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff notes that, ironically, Liam has replaced Noah on Frolunda HC of the SHL.
Duff also posted quotes via a “peek behind the paywall” article from Hockeynews.se’s Linnea Andersson this morning, in which both brothers discuss each other’s success:
“I hope to be able to contribute in the same way as I did in Björklöven,” the elder Dower Nilsson told Swedish Hockey News.
Liam Dower Nilsson posted back-to-back 20-goal campaigns for Björklöven. Last season, he helped the club earn promotion to the SHL.
“I feel pretty good to see him succeed,” Noah said. “Yeah, he’s been great. He’s worked so hard, so I’m super proud of him and super happy to see him help them get back to the top league.”
So Liam will play for Frolunda HC this upcoming season, looking to impress NHL teams as a free agent, and Noah will come over to North America to skate for the Grand Rapids Griffins:
Signing an entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings last spring, it was apparent that forward Noah Dower Nilsson would be playing in North America during the 2026-27 season.
“It means a lot, like it’s a dream come true to sign my first NHL contract,” Dower Nilsson said. “It’s an honor to sign for Detroit. It’s a great organization. So now it’s so fun.”
