From The Silky Mitten State: Why Norwegian winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is an intriguing option for the Red Wings in the first round of the upcoming NHL Draft

On the latest episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I examined potential candidate for the Red Wings to target at pick number 15 in the fast approaching NHL Draft in June.  Among the candidates we discussed is Norwegian winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who spent his 2023-24 season playing for Mora IK in HockeyAllsvenskan (the second division of Swedish hockey).

Last week, Connor wrote of Brandsegg-Nygård:

"When it comes to his fit, Brandsegg-Nygard's physical play could be a boost to the Red Wings' future middle six. The Red Wings have prioritized defensive types like him in recent drafts, most notably with the selection of Marco Kasper 2022's opening round. Brandsegg-Nygard could perhaps be a future linemate to a high-skill identity line that would fit the Red Wings' wishes to become a better defensive team in the future.

At the midway point of the first round, getting a really good roleplayer can be an effective draft strategy, even if it isn't ambitious. If all Brandsegg-Nygard becomes is a checking presence at the NHL level, that's still a role that provides a whole lot of value at the NHL level. Think of Michael Rasmussen, whose work ethic and size translated to a functional third-line presence. Molding these types of players into NHLers provides the kind of depth and versatility needed to win games."

We discussed the ways in which Brandsegg-Nygård seems to fit with what we've seen Steve Yzerman target in previous drafts and how he could fit into the existing Detroit prospect pool.  You can see a sample of our conversation in the featured video above. For full episodes, check out Apple Podcasts or Spotify:

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