Devils 2024 NHL Draft Profile: Michael Brandsegg-Nygård

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård would add something very different to the New Jersey Devils' prospect pool, but is he worth a top-10 pick?

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Last weekend, we looked at Konsta Helenius as a potential draft target for the New Jersey Devils with the 10th overall pick. Today, we'll go over Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who had a very strong close to the 2023-24 season in the HockeyAllsvenskan — Sweden's AHL. 

If the Devils keep the pick, Brandsegg-Nygård could be an option for them at 10th overall if they want to add something different on the wing. 

Brandsegg-Nygård Rankings

• NHL Central Scouting (EU): 5

• TSN/Bob McKenzie: 20

• TSN/Craig Button: 29

• Elite Prospects: 15

• FLOHOCKEY/Chris Peters: 14

• Sportsnet/Cosentino: 16

• Sportsnet/Bukala: 15

• Daily Faceoff: 16

Brandsegg-Nygård is a jack of all trades in a sense. He isn't elite at one particular skill or part of the game, but he does just about everything quite well. 

The first part of Brandsegg-Nygård's game that stands out and that the Devils and their fans will probably like is his forechecking ability. He's not looking to send anyone into the first row with his physicality on the forecheck, but he works hard and chases down pucks on retrievals. 

Brandsegg-Nygård is an effective forechecker without being overaggressive physically because he uses his 6-foot-1, 198-pound frame to seal off defenders and take the puck off their sticks. He can change directions quickly when he has the puck on his stick on the forecheck and makes good decisions more often than not. 

Per Lassi Alanen's tracked data, Brandsegg-Nygård's forechecking bordered on insane in the HockeyAllsvenkan this season. He was elite in offensive zone retrievals per 60 minutes and defensive plays/CA:

Via Lassi Alanen on Twitter

While Brandsegg-Nygård is not the most explosive or quickest skater, he still held his own in transition, as Alanen's data shows above. Even then, he uses his skating well on the forecheck and is a good enough skater to be a menace on the backcheck, something he also does effectively. 

I mentioned that he's not an overly physical player, but as Will Scouch points out in his video of Brandsegg-Nygård, he bounces off forecheckers and isn't afraid to lay a hit. Most notably, he's surgical about when to be physical. He picks his spots well, which is part of what makes him such a great forechecker. 

Aside from his compete level and forechecking, Brandsegg-Nygård has an underrated shot. His eight goals in 41 games with Mora IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan might not indicate that, but he can pick his corners when he wants and has a pretty good one-timer. 

I'd say Brandsegg-Nygård is a decent playmaker, too. He's definitely not flashy in that regard, but his passing is solid. That's not his forte, though. It's more about his forechecking and potential to be a modern-day power forward with an underrated shot. That's not something the Devils have in their system right now, making him a fit. But is he a reach at 10th overall?