Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Sweden
“The Blues go back to Sweden after taking three first-round picks from the country at the 2023 draft. Brandsegg-Nygard is a very good skater who is strong on the forecheck and can produce offensive chances from between the dots low in the offensive zone. He would be the first player born in Norway to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft.” – Kimelman
“Brandsegg-Nygard (6-1, 198) plays in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division, and is a hard-working two-way player with good first-step quickness, decision-making and vision. The 18-year-old had 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 41 regular-season games, and 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 12 playoff games. He also tied for the Norway lead with five points (three goals, two assists), and averaged 17:22 of ice time in five games at the 2024 WJC.” – Morreale
Elite Prospects pitches Brandsegg-Nygard as “A modern power forward with projectable physical tools across the board; the best forechecker in the entire draft who has a direct path to a middle-six role in the NHL.” Scouts praise his competitiveness and physicality, comparing his shot and overall profile to Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen.
Brandsegg-Nygard enters the draft ranked No. 5 among International skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
