Red Wings, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard Ready for Play Against Vegas

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is settling into a new groove for the Detroit Red Wings amidst a new role.

“I just play the way I play,” Brandsegg-Nygård recently said to DetroitRedWings.com via Jonathan Mills.“We’ve talked a lot about not losing your guy, and sometimes it’s easier to just crash into him so you know where he is versus just staying away and letting him go through.

“I also know for myself, it’s always hard to play against someone who is playing hard against you. If we keep going harder on the forecheck and all that stuff, then our defensemen are not going to be afraid to get up with the puck when they have it. We’re trying hard to play that way as a unit too as the season goes.”

Brandsegg-Nygard was one of just three rookies to make the 2025-26 Detroit Opening-Night roster out of training camp and totaled one assist in 14 NHL games.

Flashing back to the present — Brandsegg-Nygard now leads all rookies in assists (7), plus-minus (+10) and hits (71) through 16 games.

Detroit Red Wings right wing Michael Brandsegg-Nygård Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This all comes after the Red Wings originally selected Brandsegg-Nygard with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Brandsegg-Nygard also said to DetroitRedWings.com that he has carried what he learned last year into the ongoing season.

“Last year, I learned how everything works around here,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “For example, things like knowing the drills to even knowing where our meetings are and how those work, all those things make it easier for me to just only think about hockey and not anything else. I’m getting more comfortable ever since I came [to North America].”

Speaking of the ongoing season, this year Brandsegg-Nygard has been playing with a physicality that has certainly helped the Red Wings team game overall — especially when it comes to the systems Detroit Head Coach Todd McLellan has been utilizing.

Red Wings Hosting Vegas Golden Knights

Brandsegg-Nygard's recent remarks come as the Red Wings are preparing to host the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 5.

Detroit is coming off a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, which came during a back-to-back split in Florida; the Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers, 5-3, on Nov. 2.

Vegas will enter play in Detroit near the top of the Pacific Division with 22 points across a 10-5-2 overall record.

The Red Wings have fared better, and could greatly use a win over the Golden Knights as they currently sit at the very bottom of the Atlantic Division — with 17 points.

Puck drop against Vegas is set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday evening.

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