Top Red Wings prospect openly defies Steve Yzerman and heads overseas this year

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Daniel Lucente
October 8, 2024 (2:57 PM)

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Top prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard of the Detroit Red Wings has made the decision to abandon North America and play out the season in Europe instead.

The Detroit Red Wings reached the most important date, as they presented their final roster by 5 p.m. Monday with a number of key decisions. General Manager Steve Yzerman wanted rookies to have done enough to warrant a place on his opening night roster. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard wasn't expected to start the year and was going to be sent to the AHL, however he was likely unhappy with that and defied Steve Yzerman by going overseas.

This could be a very impactful decision on the player development strategy for the Red Wings, as Yzerman and company determined their course of action with him. A physically mature player like Brandsegg-Nygard may see more opportunities to grow his game in Europe as opposed to being sent to the AHL, which likely swayed his decision.

Brandsegg-Nygard himself has expressed interest in playing with Skelleftea in the SHL, where he'd be teammates with another Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka. To this date, Yzerman has given evidence he trusts the development that can be had in the SHL, so it may seem like a no-brainer to send Brandsegg-Nygard there. But with his physical maturing, one would have a case for going to the AHL where his type of game would progress better and adapt more to the North American game style, which is likely what Yzerman preferred.

In terms of other players, Austin Watson made some case for the roster with some rugged play during his professional tryout. The Red Wings have been needing that infusion of toughness for quite a while, and Watson has proven to be one who can provide that. For his efforts, the front office, under Yzerman, signed Watson to a one-year, two-way contract following his PTO, which allows some flexibility if he is to be needed in either the NHL or AHL. Another indication of commitment by the team is balancing out the skill with some toughness.

With the regular season rapidly approaching, the Wings will need to set their sights on just those important decisions: player development versus team need versus long-term goals. Whether it be determining what type of situation Brandsegg-Nygard does particularly well in or how players like Austin Watson fit in, there is a lot for Yzerman and company to weigh heading into the season.