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Late-night Wings/draft Tweets of note: on the Jake Walman trade, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Patrick Kane

From Twitter/X:

In video form:

Quoting Chris Johnston, at the 4:02 mark:

“Patrick Kane is still in discussions with the Detroit Red Wings, where he spent last season, I think there’s at least a reasonable chance he ends up as a Red Wing. There’s been a lot of people connecting him to the Rangers, maybe to his hometown Buffalo Sabres, but it sounds like Detroit’s still in decent position, if they can get an agreement on term there…”

Wheeler and Pronman talk MBN

Of late-night Red Wings draft-related note:

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman weighed in on each and every first-round selection at the 2024 NHL Draft, and Wheeler has this to say about the Wings’ selection of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, issuing an “overtime winner” status to his new team:

Detroit Red Wings 

Pick No. 15: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
My ranking: No. 14

Red Wings fans kept telling us how tired they were of us mocking Brandsegg-Nygard to Detroit, but here we are. They have among the most predictable amateur scouting departments in the league, despite being relatively closed-off as a staff. Brandsegg-Nygard, with his work rate, size and complete game, is exactly the type of player they like. He’s also got a legitimate NHL shot and some real offense off the wing, though, and he was my second-ranked prospect there (they were never going to take Eiserman). They’re going to need to find a game-breaker if they want to elevate their ceiling as a team, but Brandsegg-Nygard, Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, Carter Mazur and others are all going to be good players who pull on the same rope. He’s a good pick from where they picked.

And here’s what Pronman had to say:

15. Detroit Red Wings: Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, F, Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

October 5, 2005 | 6′ 1″ | 207 pounds

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Player comparable: Tyler Bertuzzi

Analysis: Brandsegg-Nygard was very good at the Swedish junior level. He started off slow versus men, but was very good in the Allsvenskan playoffs and made Norway’s senior team. He is a well-rounded forward. He’s a good skater. He has strong puck skills. He has a great shot and is often a threat to score from mid-distance. His frame is average-sized, but he plays hard and has physicality in his game. He thinks the game well and sees plays develop, but I don’t think his playmaking is his main asset. Even if he’s not very dynamic, Brandsegg-Nygard has a game that should lend itself to success versus men, eventually as a good NHL forward and potentially in a top six.

Pick grade: B

Thoughts on the pick: In what may be the most predictable pick in this draft, Detroit picks the player that we gave them in nearly every mock draft. He’s a hard-working two-way winger who can score and has some bite, and projects as a top-six wing.

I had a feeling that the Wings would pick Brandsegg-Nygard, too–to the point that I expected nothing less, myself–but that’s okay. Their scouting department is somewhat predictable, and they have a first-round “type” in a forward who possesses good all-round skills, “hockey sense,” character, no glaring flaws, and a desire to self-improve.

Maybe it would have been more fun to hear Steve Yzerman call Cole Eiserman’s name, or to see Shai Buium’s younger brother Zeev fall to the Wings, but neither of those outcomes took place.

DHN’s Allen, Duff discuss Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s appeal to the Red Wings

As a couple of late-night addendums to the news that the Red Wings drafted Michael Brandsegg-Nygard 15th overall in the 1st round of the 2024 NHL Draft:

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a profile of Brandsegg-Nygard in which he notes that the young man is highly-heralded by scouts:

Scouts like Brandsegg Nygard’s shot and his speed. He had 18 points playing for Mora in the Swedish second division. Next season, he will play in the Swedish Hockey League for Skelleftea where last year’s first round pick, Axel Sandin Pellikka plays.

Brandsegg Nygard also likes to play a physical game. The Red Wings are hunting for players who blend skill with a physical presence. This is the culture the Red Wings would like to develop.

“I feel like I’m pretty good to get in the defenseman’s body and push him away,” he said. “Bump him so that somewhere in the offensive zone, I can get the puck and shoot. And then the forecheck, too. I feel like I’m built to be quick up on the defenseman and him them and take the puck back so we try to stay in the offensive zone. I feel like I’m comfortable to try to protect the puck as well. ”

Former NHL general manager and scout Craig Button, now a TSN analyst, compares him to Zach Hyman.

“Not the 53 goal scorer Zach Hyman,” Button said. “But the 25 goal scorer that he was. Dog on a bone. He can play with good players and help them. He’s a really good penalty killer, good defensively.”

While Bob Duff spoke with GM Steve Yzerman about Brandsegg-Nygard’s qualities:

Assessing what he likes about Brandsegg-Nygard, Yzerman paused to take a breath.

“A lot,” he finally answered. “Big, strong young man. Physically developed. Can really shoot the puck. Thought he was a really good two-way player. Kind of a goal-scoring winger that obviously fills a void in our prospect pool.”

Big, powerful, punishing forwards wearing the winged wheel on their chest have proven to be as elusive as playoff games in these parts.

It wasn’t just his snarl that made the Red Wings decision to be sizing up Brandsegg-Nygard as the player they would want with the 15th overall pick of the draft.

“We want to have competitive hockey players that can think the game,” Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “We think he brings a physical presence. Certainly doesn’t back down of getting in the corners, getting in on the forecheck, finishing checks, gets around the hard areas.”

Tweet of note: When the Wings selected Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (and a one-timer from Buccigross)

There’s a comment made by one ESPN’s John Buccigross made during this clip that’s earning some traction on social media…

Also:

Tweet of note: Hello, Emmitt Finnie!

Red Wings prospect Emmitt Finnie spoke with Bally Sports Detroit’s Natalie Kerwin from the Red Wings’ draft watch party:

Press release: the Red Wings post official MBN presser

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS SELECT FORWARD MICHAEL BRANDSEGG-NYGÅRD 15TH OVERALL IN 2024 NHL DRAFT 

  … Fifth-Ranked International Skater Becomes First Norwegian-Born Player to be Selected in the First Round of an NHL Draft …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today selected forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård in the first round (15th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Brandsegg-Nygård spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with Mora IK in Sweden’s second-highest professional league, recording 18 points (8-10-18), a plus-three rating and 19 penalty minutes in 41 regular-season games. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound forward also collected 10 points (4-6-10) and eight penalty minutes in 12 postseason contests, helping Mora IK reach the Semifinals for the second consecutive season. Additionally, Brandsegg-Nygård logged 12 points (5-7-12), a plus-nine rating and 10 penalty minutes in seven games with Mora IK’s under-20 team in Sweden’s top junior league. A native of Oslo, Norway, Brandsegg-Nygård is the first Norwegian-born player to be selected in the first round of an NHL Entry Draft.

Brandsegg-Nygård debuted with Mora IK in 2022-23, logging three points (1-2-3), a plus-three rating and six penalty minutes in 11 games, along with 38 points (17-21-38) in 35 games at the under-20 level and 10 points (5-5-10) in four games with the under-18 squad. Prior to arriving in Sweden, Brandsegg-Nygård made his professional debut as a 16-year-old with Vålerenga in the EliteHockey Ligaen, skating in eight games in Norway’s top professional league during the 2021-22 campaign. He also collected 42 points (24-18-42) in 25 games with Vålerenga’s under-20 squad and 19 points (10-9-19) in seven games at the under-18 level in 2021-22. Brandsegg-Nygård paced Norway’s under-18 circuit with 16 goals in eight games in 2020-21.

On the international stage, Brandsegg-Nygård played for Norway at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, recording five points (3-2-5) in seven games en route to being named one of his country’s top three performers. He also represented Norway at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, logging five points (3-2-5) in five games. Brandsegg-Nygård won a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship Division I, collecting five points (2-3-5) in five games, and also captured a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship Division I with four points (2-2-4) in five appearances.

Detroit currently has seven selections for the second day of the 2024 Entry Draft: one in the second round (47th overall), one in the third round (80th), one in the fourth round (126th), one in the fifth round (144th), one in the sixth round (176th) and two in the seventh round (203rd and 208th).

Update: Here’s NHL.com’s scouting report:

Continue reading Press release: the Red Wings post official MBN presser

Red Wings draft Michael Brandsegg-Nygard 15th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft

The Detroit Red Wings have drafted Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

PARADISE, NV – JUNE 28: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round during the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Continue reading Red Wings draft Michael Brandsegg-Nygard 15th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft