Teams are built through the draft.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)
Like it or not, that has been Steve Yzerman’s approach since his arrival.
Every one of those players, minus the most recent three, has played NHL games. Most of them have been key contributors for the Red Wings this season (Seider, Raymond, Edvinsson, Kasper).
And now, two of them are closer to playing in the NHL.
On Tuesday, the Red Wings announced they reassigned Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. This will be an excellent opportunity for Red Wings fans to get a first-hand look at these prospects.
The Griffins have three regular season games remaining before they enter the Calder Cup Playoffs. They play Wednesday night against the Rockford Icehogs and again on Friday. The Griffins wrap up their season on Saturday against the Iowa Wild.
Sandin-Pellikka has had a phenomenal season. Between his World Juniors performance to his milestone-setting season in the SHL, he’s proving to be an excellent prospect for the Red Wings.
The same can be said for Brandsegg-Nygard. While he didn’t set records like his teammate Sandin-Pellikka, he is one year younger, and their developments shouldn’t be compared in the same context. He recorded 11 points in 42 games while playing 14:34 per game.
One way or another, these two players can show the organization (and its fans) what they are capable of before they get a taste of the NHL.
