Michael Brandsegg-Nygard did something special when he scored his first career goal with the Detroit Red Wings. One that came days after he logged his first career assist.
While every NHL player’s first career goal is monumental, Brandsegg-Nygard’s carried historical significance. Via Dave Hogg of NHL.com, “Brandsegg-Nygard became the first Norwegian player to score for Detroit.”
In what is now Detroit’s 101st season, one would think somebody from Norway would have found the back of the net in Hockeytown. Evidently, Brandsegg-Nygard is the first.
That will be a likely Red Wings trivia question years from today: Who was the first Norwegian-born player to score a goal for the Red Wings?
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s First Red Wings Goal Was Memorable
The game may have been out of reach when Brandsegg-Nygard scored at the 15:27 mark of the third period. But that doesn’t take away the fact that Brandsegg-Nygard did exactly what fans want to see.
This wasn’t some highlight-reel goal that will make a season-ending video montage. Instead, Brandsegg-Nygard made a power forward move. After Emmitt Finnie took the puck, skated down the ice, went wide, and took a shot, Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer was slow to track it.
The puck drifted in front of the crease as four Kraken skaters surrounded the net, with a fifth player closing in. Alex DeBrincat got there first and fired the puck at Grubauer. DeBrincat’s shot created chaos in front of the net, with Brandsegg-Nygard battling three Kraken players and Grubauer inside the paint.
Brandsegg-Nygard poked the puck through, finding twine and officially landing his first career goal. What Brandsegg-Nygard did should be his bread-and-butter play. He will score a lot more if he keeps finding ways to get in front of the net and outmuscle opposing players.
Brandsegg-Nygard Continues To Show Top-Six Potential
While Brandsegg-Nygard has yet to record regular top-six minutes, his production and poise indicate that he’s ready to log at least 16 minutes per contest. Despite the Red Wings losing big on Friday night, Brandsegg-Nygard ended the game with two points and a plus-1. He also blocked a shot and posted four hits.
He may only have a 7.1 shooting percentage heading into Saturday’s matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, but that’s not a downer at this point. Brandsegg-Nygard leads the Red Wings in shots on goal with 14. He’s also taken the team lead with 15 hits and has a plus-2 on the year.
He is third on the team with a 62.9 Corsi For Percentage at even strength among Red Wings players who have played in all four contests. Only Lucas Raymond (64.9) and Justin Faulk (64.4) have recorded higher percentages.
Brandsegg-Nygard is also third with a 94.1 on-ice save percentage at even strength. This indicates how much his defensive game has improved early on. Anton Johansson (95.8) and Emmitt Finnie (94.7) are the only two who are ahead of Brandsegg-Nygard.
Overall, Brandsegg-Nygard’s improvement foreshadowed that his significant first career goal with the Detroit Red Wings was coming. While he has a lot of room to keep developing, there is no denying Brandsegg-Nygard has shown he’s ready to take on more ice time. He may get that chance in Detroit’s upcoming slate of games.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard Makes Red Wings History With First NHL Goal