Segment 4: THN prospect writer Tony Ferrari discusses what to expect from the next wave of squads in Finland, Slovakia and Czechia. He also analyzes Norway's Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Photo courtesy Tonni Paibjerg/Danish Ice Hockey Union [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAzMzcxNDQyODQxMDY5MDM3/4y7a4519.jpg] Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Photo courtesy Tonni Paibjerg/Danish Ice Hockey Union GOTHENBURG, SWE - By virtue of not making the quarterfinal, the 2024 world juniors have been a disappointment for Norway's Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. That was his team's goal and while the Norwegians were no pushovers, they missed the cut and put themselves into a single-elimination relegation game against Germany. But for those of us who take a more mercenary approach to the tournament, these world juniors have been an occasion to celebrate Norway: With Brandsegg-Nygard and Stian Solberg, the team has two excellent NHL prospects for the world to learn about. In fact, we are likely looking at the best Norwegian draft class ever. Now, the bar for said achievement is admittedly low. The best Norwegian NHLer ever is Mats Zuccarello and he was never drafted, signing as a free agent with the Rangers to kick off his stellar career. The most Norwegians ever taken in one draft is three (done in both 2008 and 1990) and the highest a player has been taken was 42nd overall, when Dallas tabbed Marius Holtet in 2002. Brandsegg-Nygard, a fast and dynamic right winger, is shaping up to be a first-rounder this summer, while Solberg, a punishing defenseman, appears to be at least top-100. And both have been big for Norway at the world juniors, with Brandsegg-Nygard tied for the team lead in scoring and Solberg one point behind him, while playing about 26 minutes per game. The pair have known each other since they were 11, playing in the Valerenga organization. "It's the biggest team in Norway and the only big team in Oslo," Solberg said. "I've always watched the men's team there and looked up to them, so it's a pleasure to play there now." Two years ago, Brandsegg-Nygard took his talents to Mora in Sweden for better competition and he's spent the majority of this season with the pro team. But his dad played for Valerenga, so the home club still holds special meaning to him. "I loved it," he said. "I always played for Valerenga before I moved to Mora. Friends and family always came to watch, so it was cool to play there." Solberg also comes from an athletic family, but not hockey: His dad was a downhill skier, while his mom was a runner. But thanks to their son, they're now a hockey family, he said. A big fan of Moritz Seider and Drew Doughty, Solberg likes their combination of physical play and puck-moving. It's a style the Norwegian teen has tried to emulate. "He's really good physically, so it's hard to get around him," said Brandsegg-Nygard. "He makes really good reverse hits and he's a really good passer: He'll fake to one side and go the other way; he's great at that." Playing on Valerenga's pro team full-time this season, Solberg has already talked to NHL scouts about the draft and filled out "a lot" of questionnaires for teams. He also has a bit of a cheat sheet on his squad in fellow blueliner Andrew Nielsen, a former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect who was drafted himself in the third round back in 2015. "I've talked to Andrew a lot, he's a great guy and we've become pretty good friends," Solberg said. "I've asked him about the draft and the combine and he's been through everything so I have a lot to learn from him. We've talked about his journey and I can take tips from him." As for Brandsegg-Nygard, he is, simply put, the highest-rated Norwegian prospect ever. He's a first-round talent and could even be in the top-15, depending on how things shake out. A big fan of NHL scorers such as David Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin, the kid has been holding his own in the Allsvenskan, Sweden's second-best pro circuit. He's top-10 in scoring among junior-aged players in the league and the youngest in that cohort by almost a year. "He's a fast skater with a great shot," Solberg said. "He's always going to the net and looking for his teammates to make plays with. He shows the way for his teammates to follow and he's a great player." That Mora team actually has a whole cluster of Norwegians, which is nice for Brandsegg-Nygard - though he notes that they all speak Swedish anyway. Though he saw some time with the pro team last season, this has been his pro breakout. "The level of competition this year is a big step, from junior hockey to senior hockey," Brandsegg-Nygard said. "Harder, of course, but I feel I can handle it well." His contract with Mora is up this summer, and no doubt Brandsegg-Nygard will have suitors. He told me that he has thought about coming to North America to play major junior, but hasn't made any decisions yet. Solberg is in a similar boat in that he hasn't finalized any plans for next year yet, either. But the future is bright for both players, and if they continue to develop as they have been, it wouldn't be surprising to see both in the NHL someday. Heck, they might turn out to be two of the best their country has ever produced. THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTg5MzM3NTA5NzY2MjUy/my-thn-ad-banner-1500x150.jpg] THN.com/free
