Michael Brandsegg Nygård
2024 NHL Draft Eligible
Mora IK, HockeyAllsvenskan
Position: RW, Shoots: R
H/W: 6’1, 194lbs
DOB: 5/10/2005 – Oslo, Norway
After a hot start to the year (and subsequent cooling off), Mora IK find themselves in a similar situation as last year. As of writing this, they are a top four team in the standings trying to get over the hump and earn promotion to the SHL. With an average age of 24, they are one of the youngest teams in the league, 2nd only to Almtuna IS. Their youthful energy complements their gritty, high-tempo counterattacking playstyle incredibly well. However, like many young teams across many leagues, consistency has been an issue for them.
Many of the younger players are still trying to adapt to the pace of play and carve out a role for themselves and, if you only looked at the box scores, you’d think 18-year-old Michael Brandsegg Nygård (or MBN, as I’ll be referring to him occasionally) is one of them. However, this is not the case.
While the production hasn’t really come until recently, Brandsegg Nygård has been playing extraordinary hockey all year and has worked his way from the 4th line all the way up to the 1st. His team dominates possession whenever he’s on the ice. He injects any line he plays on with energy and intensity, and he never takes a shift off. He embodies Mora’s hi-tempo style with his physicality and forechecking prowess. He is inside driven, and he isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty in the corners. With his excellent hands and hockey sense, he can turn loose puck battles into scoring chances in an instant.
Just by watching him, you can easily project Brandsegg Nygård’s skillset to an NHL role. However, that has never really been up for debate. The real question surrounding his projection is his offensive/high end skill ceiling. He flashes it from time to time, manipulating defenders with body fakes, hesitations, drag-through moves, and more. At the start of the year, it felt like such a fringe part of his game that it was difficult to accurately factor into his overall projection. However, as the year has progressed and as he has acclimated himself to the pace of HockeyAllsvenskan play, the fine skill has become more of a real asset to Brandsegg Nygård’s game and has elevated his projected ceiling from a “defensive winger” to a legitimate Top 6 power winger. If he stays on the same trajectory, he could very well find himself within the top ten (or higher) on most scouts’ lists come draft day.
Skating
While it is not necessarily what stands out the most when you watch him, Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s strong skating is a big reason that the young power forward can play the pace-pushing style that he does. Firstly, his mechanics are very solid. He’s got proper posture – he keeps his back straight; his knees bent and gets full extension on his strides. He is incredibly strong on his feet. His balance/speed combo is probably up there with the best in the draft class among forwards. I haven’t seen the explosiveness that some of the top skaters in the class exhibit, but he can still pick up his feet and build up speed quicker than most.
Brandsegg Nygård mobility in all directions is solid as well; he shifts his weight, rocks and pushes with his hips to quickly redirect his momentum – either into open space or into an opposing player for a big hit. His edgework has improved since the start of the year, which makes sense given he flashes his fine skill more since the start of the year as well. However, he still gets caught on his edges every so often. Still, his improvement is very encouraging, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he irons out the wrinkles completely in the next couple years.
To be a workhorse, stamina has to be a strength. Brandsegg Nygård definitely checks that box. His efficient mechanics are a big reason for him being able to spend less energy moving and more energy playing. Despite never taking a shift off, he rarely looks tired at the end of his shifts - even if he’s caught out for over longer than he should be.
While subtly so, Brandsegg Nygård skating is undoubtedly a strength. His strong skating has allowed him to not only keep up with the pace of play against men, but to thrive playing Mora IK's (and his own patented) physical, high-tempo, counter-attacking style of play. With improved edgework, we should see the finer side of his game improve as well – serving as the perfect complement to the physical, rougher side of his modern power forward game.
Here we see a little bit of what MBN is capable of with a bit of space to skate. First a pretty clean individual zone exit-carry-entry, OZ puck retrieval, a dish off to his teammate and, after a bit of bobbling, his team gets set up for some offence.
An example of Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s great North-South speed and acceleration on a coast-to coast carry. I like the way he staggers his strides with his stick handling, it adds an extra layer of deception to his on-puck game.
Here we see a rare example of MBN getting caught flat footed in the neutral zone. Not entirely sure what his plan was, but he just sort of turns, stops, lunges at the puck carrier with his stick and falls on his face. He could have probably executed whatever that was better with improved agility.
A botched play for possession along the wall at the OZ blue line goes the other way for a short handed chance against. From the far side of the ice, MBN follows the play well and skates back HARD. As the penalty killer with the puck on his stick gets to the net, MBN surgically takes the stick and the puck away with exceptional timing.
Grade: 55
Shot
Even during his goalscoring drought, Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s powerful shot was on full display. He’s got a rocket of a wrister; he can really load it up and release it with precision. He hit posts and crossbars a-plenty while looking for his first goal of the year, so we know he has the ability to beat the goalie. On the powerplay, he’s also relied upon to be a shooter. Teammates look to set him up for the one-timer, or to give him some space to walk in and let her rip from the hashmarks.
In addition to his power and accuracy, MBN has the ability to get his shot off in stride – a valuable tool to any rush or counterattacking forward. Thanks to his strong skating ability, he is able to time his release with the shift of his weight quite naturally, and it never feels like his shot is rushed.
Perhaps the only thing truly missing with Brandsegg Nygård is deception with his release; toe drags are not typically used as part of his repertoire. I’m not sure he has the elite hands to be able to change the direction or angle of his shot, especially not with limited space like the best of the best in the NHL do, either. This makes his shot a bit easier for defenders to neutralize with the commitment of a body or stick in front of it, and goalies may be able to set up against him a bit easier. I think there’s an outside chance that he could develop at least a bit of deception as he matures, since his brain already thinks deceptively when deking defenders.
While his power and accuracy give him an average shot, his ability to both find soft ice and to get it off in stride push that to an above average shot. His lack of deception and angular attack may ultimately limit it to just that, but I’d say that’s probably enough to score 20-some goals in the NHL, which is nothing to sneeze at. Brandsegg Nygård will still be a scoring threat inside, on the rush, and on the power play, but don’t expect a true sniper’s shot.
Nobody outworks Michael Brandsegg Nygård. Here we see his nose for the puck as he pokes it free off of a lost faceoff, chips it up ice past the last line of defence and then turns on the jets. He does well to keep his balance with two guys draped all over him and whips a shot off in stride, popping the goalie’s bottle for a gorgeous goal. As a rush/counter attacker, having the ability to get a good shot off in stride is imperative to goalscoring success at higher levels.
Here we see Michael Brandsegg Nygård controlling his speed to pick up a loose puck in the corner. He then drives to the net and tries to roof a backhand over the goalkeeper's shoulder, but it gets turned aside. While his hockey sense and willingness to drive inside shines quite brightly here, it’s the backhand I’m interested in. An inside driven player like Brandsegg Nygård should probably add a solid backhander to his arsenal to further increase his lethality in tight.
Michael Brandsegg Nygård showing off some good rush support and especially his shot. After getting the breakout started, his two linemates are rushing up ice and MBN is the trailer. As he enters the zone he looks to go inside, but sees it is occupied. He cuts slightly outside and receives the puck inside the offensive blue line. He catches, hesitates, and shoots just as there’s a drive-by screen obscuring his release point.
Worth highlighting the predictability of Brandsegg Nygård’s shooting and pre shot movement. He’s got a ton of space, yet skates it in slow, with his eyes set on taking the shot the whole time. The defender simply takes away the lane and closes out slowly, and MBN’s shot inevitably hits him. This is where some sort of deception would come in handy, but I’m optimistic that he’ll figure something out.
Grade: 52.5
Skills
The finer aspects of Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s game have been a little tricky to evaluate. There have been many questions about his overall upside since he isn’t a flashy player, but I think there is a lot to be excited about skill-wise.
He clearly displays a good understanding of timing, delays, and fake outs, both with the body and with the hands. Sure, his hands aren’t lightning fast and he doesn’t have a million moves to razzle and dazzle you. However, sometimes all you need is one *really* solid move to get past a defender or two. He is very self-aware – he typically only pulls the moves he knows he can pull off. After all, he’s playing against men as an 18-year-old.
It should be obvious to anyone watching him that he is trying to improve and experiment with this aspect of his game, and we should focus on the ideas, not the result. If he is able to improve his stickhandling so that it really becomes a reliable tool to create separation, Brandsegg Nygård’s ceiling as a playmaker and a play-driver could be much higher than initially thought.
His puck protection skills are quite good as well – he has the ability to drop his shoulder and drive through the slings and arrows of oncoming checkers and drive inside with good control. He’s got some room to grow there as well, which will come with increased strength as he gets older.
While Brandsegg Nygård’s stickhandling in tight looks a bit disjointed at times, he seems to walk away with possession more often than not. I simply marvel at his ability to create offence from the boards and make plays towards the middle of the ice. He absorbs contact to make plays, turns his body to maintain control of the puck and, with his head up, makes a good hard pass towards a teammate in dangerous areas of the ice. The ability to create offence from the boards is one of the biggest skills that got Juraj Slafkovsky drafted 1st overall in 2022 – just 2 short years ago. This isn’t to say they are the same or even similar players. I simply want to highlight how valuable of a skill that is to NHL teams, and that Brandsegg Nygård has it.
Here’s a good example of Brandsegg Nygård’s playmaking ability. As soon as the puck gets loose along the boards and is passed to him, he sees the give and go developing. His teammate is streaking towards the net with three defenders on him, but MBN displays great patience and a masterful touch by sending a lead pass under an opposing stick blade and across the slot to complete the dangerous scoring chance.
How about this shake and bake? Brandsegg Nygård does what is starting to become a signature move for him and pulls the string on the defender to get himself all alone in front. He gets a very dangerous scoring chance because of it. He’s clearly got the skill potential to make an offensive impact at higher levels - even if his execution on this one was a little clunky.
Just nasty stuff here. Deception and manipulation go hand in hand, and we see MBN utilize that well in this sequence. To create that kind of space for yourself and to generate a quality scoring chance is really promising, especially against men (with the caveat of it being on bigger ice).
Some more skillful playmaking. His fake-outs are starting to look very refined now, as he keeps his stick glued to his hip and shows inside before pulling outside and circling back. His edgework also looked quite clean on the subsequent deceptive drop pass near the blue line. This could have resulted in a better scoring chance, but his teammate takes a very poor shot from just below the point.
Grade: 50
Smarts
Easily his best asset besides his physical play, Michael Brandsegg Nygård’s hockey IQ has been a stand out factor in every single one of my viewings of him. He is incredibly intelligent with very good habits – even during the scoring drought, his positioning was fantastic, his attention to detail was excellent, and he consistently affected play in a positive manner.
Brandsegg Nygård is and incredibly aware player. His head is always up and on a swivel, scanning for potential options and threats, mapping the ice. The information he collects lets him time his drives, identify and exploit soft ice and skating lanes, and, on puck, lets him gauge how much time and space he has between him and an incoming defender. Perhaps most importantly, it allows him to make great reads defensively and on the forecheck which, combined with his supercomputer-like processing speed, helps him be the elite counterattacking forward he has been all year.
Brandsegg Nygård’s rare combination of pace, physicality and work ethic is underlined by his ability to process the game as fast as he plays it. When he’s got the puck on his stick and trying to move it, you can tell he approaches situations with a plan. However, the real magic is in watching him process the situation developing in front of him and solve problems on the fly. At least once a game, he’ll have pressure on him and solve it in way I would never have thought to. His creativity and feel for the game make him one of the most entertaining players to watch this season in the best possible way.
Here we see a blend of everything, but what stands out to me is the processing speed of MBN. He and his teammate are in a foot race to an offensive zone retrieval against a defender. Recognizing that he won’t get there first, MBN floats back towards the blue line along the wall in anticipation of his teammate winning the battle. Right before receiving the puck, we see a lightning-fast pre-scan to map where the nearest defender is. With the info collected, we see MBN lure the defender in, fake inside before cutting past him to the outside along the wall. When a 2nd defender comes to help, he chips the puck against the wall to avoid the oncoming stickcheck before batting it down and making a pass to an open teammate down low. This becomes a give and go and MBN receives the puck near the faceoff dot but can’t get the shot off. His plan was always to get the puck in deep, and he managed to get past two defenders with some quick thinking and adaptability.
Here’s a great example of Brandsegg Nygård playing rope-a-dope along the wall. In the OZ, He follows a failed pass to the corner with a defender about to engage him from behind. He turns his head and sees a ton of space towards the blue line, making the defender think he’s going to move into it. However, he quickly cuts back inside, breaking the ankles of the checker and drawing in pressure from a 2nd D man. After some quick stick work to lose the 2nd man, a 3rd defender joins the fray and MBN absorbs contact to make a quick pass to an open teammate down low. The teammate then fires a pass to the middle of the ice to #90 for Mora who’s in good position and fires a shot. Some lightning quick thinking and patience from MBN makes that whole sequence happen.
This clip features some of the excellent creativity and planning MBN likes to exhibit. He does a bank pass to himself to get around pressure from the OZ blueline to the corner and fire a dangerous net front pass on the money. He was determined to get down low and make a play, and he thought of a clever way to do so by choosing an option most guys wouldn’t think to.
This clip could be under any category, but I think it highlights his processing speed, anticipation, and awareness quite well. He shows a great understanding of how much time and space he has between him and the defender closing him out, quickly identifies a path forward and, when it becomes shut, tries to thread the needle with a n ambitious cross ice pass. Once possession is lost, he quickly enters forecheck-mode and steals a pass thanks to a good pre-emptive stick.
Grade: 60
Physicality/Compete
“Physical” is probably the word you’ve most heard associated with Michael Brandsegg Nygård – for good reason. He’s got good size and he hits like a truck, but has enough discipline to not chase the big hit. Instead, he typically lets the play in front of him dictate how much force is necessary. Usually, you notice how solidly he is built when opponents try to hit him and end up bouncing off of him! What’s more impressive is that Brandsegg Nygård isn’t just a very physically strong and robust player, but his actual physical skills, like his board play habits and his ability to use his body to create an advantage, are already NHL-ready.
The way he engages in loose puck battles along the wall is like watching a surgeon… do surgery. He gets his body in between man and puck, pins down sticks and legs, and uses his strength to leave enough space to quickly move the puck off the wall. Often times, upon initiation, he likes to draw in pressure before deceptively pulling the puck away and rolling free. It’s like he’s playing chess, luring opponents into his traps by feigning mistakes or uncertainty.
On top of this, Brandsegg Nygård has an elite motor, by far one of the best in the draft class. He’s constantly moving his feet, probing with his stick, finishing checks, anything he can do to help. He works really hard, is laser focused on play, and never takes a shift off. He’s the type of player that is hard not to love, especially if you’re a coach. If you ask me, MBN’s physicality, work rate, and his smarts give him an NHL-calibre floor.
Hard work and resilience leads to good things. The constant pressure Michael Brandsegg Nygård exerts on his opponents causes them to make mistakes, and he and his teammates are always ready to punish them. Here we see a turnover caused by a good stick and good quick forecheck by MBN. The puck is sent back into the corner and around the net with MBN dueling for (and winning) possession against a defender, before his teammate pounces on the puck to create a quality chance. Notice his impressive focus, use of the frame and stickwork to constantly improve his position while battling.
Brandsegg Nygård is built so solid and has such good awareness that it is pretty tough to catch him sleeping. He regularly reverse-hits guys who want a piece of him – and to think he’ll only get stronger as he gets older!
Look out! If you’re on the other team (in this case, Nybro Vikings), you’re going to want to know when #28 in red is on the ice. Brandsegg Nygård builds up a good amount of speed through the neutral zone and drives through his opponent, sending him flying. He doesn’t typically hunt for contact like that, but he likes to remind people that he can sometimes.
Here’s an example of your typical Michael Brandsegg Nygård shift, showing his motor quite well. He follows play alertly, moving his feet, harassing puck carriers with his stick and body. In this clip, he takes out 2 guys from play, gets up, and keeps on working. In most of the clips in this report, he’s constantly doing things to disrupt, to advance the attack, to get open, or to punish. Anything he can do to help, really.
Grade: 60
OFP: 55.25
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.