Michael Brandsegg-Nygård has turned a summer roster question into something that looks an awful lot like a decision.
After two preseason games, the Detroit Red Wings rookie has done more than just put his name in the mix. He scored twice against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he’s been one of the most physically engaged forwards on the ice in both outings, right there with Kasper. That kind of start has people around the team landing on the same place: it’s MBN’s job to lose.
That’s a pretty sharp turn from how his first look in Detroit went last season. He bounced around the lineup and never really got a stable runway, including stretches alongside JT Compher and Michael Rasmussen, where offense was always going to be hard to come by.
Even then, he kept driving play and led the team in hits during those stretches. The problem was less effort than opportunity, and the numbers eventually sent him to Grand Rapids.
Once there, the production caught up with the talent. He finished the season with 20 goals and 44 points, then added eight points in eight playoff games when things got tougher. For a 20-year-old working through the pro game in real time, that was a meaningful finish.
Now he’s bringing that momentum into camp. One of his preseason goals came on the power play, when he took a pass to the body and just slammed the rebound home. The rest of his work has been just as noticeable: digging pucks out along the boards, throwing hits, blocking shots and jumping into passing lanes.
Todd McLellan has been saying all camp that this team needs more toughness beyond Marco Kasper, who led the team in hits by himself last season. MBN has looked like the clearest answer to that need so far. Todd even let it slip that MBN has what it takes to make the roster, basically counting him in already before the puck even hit the ice.
The physical profile is why the comparison to Anthony Mantha keeps coming up. Big body, can hit, can make plays, has a genuinely heavy shot, and can finish.
That’s the kind of package Detroit hoped Mantha would fully become, even if it never quite came together in his time here. MBN is only 19 games into pro hockey, but he’s already showing more drive, determination and physicality than Mantha did.
And if he can produce anywhere near the level Mantha reached last season - 64 points in 81 games - then Detroit has something it has been looking for.
Carter Bear was thought by some to have a shot at pushing for the spot, and he’ll get his chance eventually. Just probably not this September. Right now, Brandsegg-Nygård looks like the player giving the Red Wings exactly the kind of energy they need.
In Other News...
Simon Edvinsson Contract Talks Put Early Focus On Red Wings Camp
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The bigger issue is the shape of the deal itself, with discussions continuing and the stakes pointing well beyond a short-term solution. A long-term contract would carry major financial weight for Detroit, and the sides are still working through a path that reflects Edvinssons role and future value without making the process any simpler for a team trying to settle its roster early. [Read more 🡒]
Larkins Return Puts One Red Wings Decision Back In Focus
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Larkins return also pushes one lingering organizational question back into view. Detroit had previously removed him as captain, but the club has said he could still remain with the team for the entire season, leaving his status as one of the more notable unresolved decisions around the roster as camp continues. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkins Preseason Status Suddenly Matters Even More For Detroit
The Red Wings' preseason picture got a little clearer and a little more complicated at the same time. Buffalos defensive depth took a hit when Mattias Samuelsson went down with a lower-body injury and will be out on a week-to-week basis, while Olen Zellweger also landed in concussion protocol after an upper-body injury. For Detroit, the bigger immediate note came from head coach Todd McLellan, who said Dylan Larkin is progressing in his recovery and is inching closer to a return.
That matters because Larkins preseason timetable has become one of the more closely watched storylines in camp, especially with Detroit trying to sort out its lineup and get its top center back into game shape. McLellan indicated Larkin could be available for the preseason finale against Columbus, which would give the Red Wings one more chance to see him before opening night preparations really tighten up. [Read more 🡒]