Continuing the Minnesota Wild 2024 NHL Draft Target series with Mora IK forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

Continuing the Minnesota Wild 2024 NHL Draft Target series, today we will talk about Mora IK forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

The Norway native played for Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan, which is the minor league equivalent of the SHL. In 41 games for Mora IK he had eight goals and 18 points. 

Brandsegg-Nygard is currently playing for Team Norway at the 2024 IIHF Men's World Championships. He has been playing with Mats Zuccarello lately and recorded his second goal of the tournament on a Zuccarello primary assist. His first goal of the tournament was also assisted by Zuccarello. 

The 6-foot-1 forward is a very well-rounded player. He is a good skater, can shoot the puck, has offensive abilities to play in your top-nine or top-six, and is very good defensively. 

Some are saying he is the best forechecker in the draft. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler has Brandsegg-Nygard as the most physical forward in the draft. 

His mix of offense, defense, and physicality makes him a very intriguing player. He engages in battles, pushes himself physically and has shown not to let up despite playing with guys who are many years older than him. 

Brandsegg-Nygard shoots right and is one of the more hard-working players in this draft. He seems like the type of player that fits the Wild's identity that they had a year or two ago. The grit first and hard to play against type of player. 

As you can see in the image above from Hockey Prospecting, Brandsegg-Nygard has the exact same NHLer and Star Probabilities as Brady Tkachuk did during his draft year. This isn't to say Brandsegg-Nygard is the next Brady Tkachuk but more as a comparable in terms of production during their draft years. 

I would think of Brandsegg-Nygard as more of a Lawson Crouse or a Mason Marchment type of player. One who is physical and responsible defensibly but also can contribute offensively and can play on the second power play unit. 

Or think of him as a player that is a mix of Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno. A power forward and high Hockey IQ forward who can produce in the top-six or top-nine. 

If Brandsegg-Nygard keeps playing well with Zuccarello in the 2024 IIHF Men's World Championships, maybe the Wild would have to take him. They already have seemed to connect anyways. 

Brandsegg-Nygard is someone to keep an eye on for sure and one that would fit really well with the Wild for years to come, in my opinion. Plus he is the type of player management has shown to like.

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