Detroit believes it has a player who can help at both ends of the ice.
“I think he plays a pretty responsible game for a young guy,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “When we all played junior, we worried about scoring. We didn’t check. He’s just got a really well-rounded game to him.
“I just think he’s a guy who could play in all situations. He can play either wing, a lot of different spots on the power play.”
Brandsegg-Nygard played against men as an 18-year-old last season with Mora IK in Sweden’s second-highest professional league, with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 41 games. He picked up his game in the playoffs, with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 12 games.
“I like his game,” Detroit director of player development Dan Cleary said during Red Wings development camp earlier this month. “Watching him play, you can see he’s strong, protecting the puck, he can shoot it very well.”
Cleary sent Brandsegg-Nygard back to Sweden with some specific things to work on this season.
“Like every young kid, we look at their testing, they’ve got to get stronger, which they will as they get older and more mature. His skating, he knows he’s got to work on it.
“He’s driven to work on it. Those are the ones that will get better.”
Brandsegg-Nygard agrees, feeling those skills are key parts of his game.
“I like to get into the defenseman’s body and push him away so I can pop up somewhere in the offensive zone with the puck and shoot,” he said. “On the forecheck, I can get up quick, hit the defenseman and get the puck back.”
