The Detroit Red Wings announced that forward Michael and defenseman have been reassigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins from Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, 19, played the 2024-25 season with Skellefteå AIK, where he tallied 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) and 51 penalty minutes across 42 regular-season games. His point total ranked ninth among all under-20 players in the SHL. He added six points (4 goals, 2 assists) and 12 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games, helping the team reach the SHL semifinals. Brandsegg-Nygård previously participated in Detroit’s 2024-25 training camp, where he recorded three points (1-2-3), a +2 rating, and four penalty minutes over five preseason contests.
During the 2023-24 season, he spent most of his time with Mora IK in Sweden’s second-tier league, posting 18 points (8-10-18), a +3 rating, and 19 penalty minutes in 41 regular-season games, plus 10 points (4-6-10) in 12 playoff games. He also contributed 12 points (5-7-12) and a +9 rating in seven games with Mora IK’s U20 team. Overall, from 2022–2024, he accumulated 21 points (9-12-21) in 52 games at the professional level with Mora IK and 50 points (22-28-50) in 42 U20 games, in addition to 10 points (5-5-10) in four U18 appearances.
Drafted 15th overall in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by Detroit, Brandsegg-Nygård became the first Norwegian-born player ever selected in the first round. The Oslo native debuted professionally at age 16 with Vålerenga in Norway’s top league and stood out in the junior ranks with 42 points in 25 U20 games and 19 points in seven U18 games during the 2021-22 season. Internationally, he helped Norway win bronze at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Division I and also represented the country in the 2024 IIHF World Championship (5 points in 7 games) and the 2024 World Juniors (5 points in 5 games). He previously earned gold at the 2023 World Junior Division I tournament and silver at the 2022 U18 Division I tournament.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, 20, spent the 2024-25 campaign with Skellefteå AIK, earning Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year honors after posting 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 46 regular-season games. He led all under-21 players in both goals and points in the SHL. In the playoffs, he contributed eight points (1-7-8) over 11 games, helping Skellefteå reach the semifinals. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defenseman was part of the SHL championship-winning team in 2023-24, registering 18 points (10-8-18) and 17 penalty minutes in 39 games, plus seven points in 14 playoff games. He received the 2024 Börje Salming Trophy as the SHL’s best Swedish-born defenseman.
Detroit selected Sandin-Pellikka 17th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Since debuting professionally in 2022-23, he has amassed 52 points (24-28-52) and 39 penalty minutes in 107 SHL games. He also starred at the junior level, winning Sweden’s top junior defenseman honors in 2022-23 after collecting 36 points and a +15 rating in 31 games.
Hailing from Gällivare, Sweden, Sandin-Pellikka has been with Skellefteå AIK’s development program since 2019-20, compiling strong numbers across U16, U18, and U20 levels. Internationally, he was named the best defenseman at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship for the second straight year after tallying 10 points and a +8 rating in seven games. He helped Sweden to a silver medal in the 2024 World Juniors and also played in the 2023 edition. Sandin-Pellikka earned top defenseman honors at the 2023 IIHF U18 Championship (11 points in 7 games) and won silver at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.