Is Brandsegg-Nygard close to pro-ready and a possibility for Flyers? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Despite overachieving for the majority of the 2023-24 season, the Flyers still have a rebuilding mindset. The club’s decision-makers know there’s a need for more talent and that the entry draft remains the best avenue to acquire it.
“The bulk of it still needs to be done through our young guys, mostly through the draft,” general manager Danny Briere said in April.
The Flyers will have a good opportunity to augment their future when the 2024 NHL draft arrives June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Like last summer, the Flyers have 10 picks, including two first-rounders. Barring a trade, they’ll make their top overall selection at No. 12. Briere believes the Flyers “can get a very talented player” at that spot.
In the first round of the 2023 draft, the Flyers took a swing on Matvei Michkov at No. 7 and grabbed Oliver Bonk at No. 22. They should also have two first-round picks in 2025.
Leading up to the 2024 draft, we’re breaking down targets for the Flyers at No. 12.
Next up:
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 207
Shoots: Right
Team: Mora IK
Scouting report
The 18-year-old Norwegian is built like a pro and plays like a pro. With a real moxie for puck battles and owning a big shot, Brandsegg-Nygard has a game that can scale a lineup.
Playing against men in HockeyAllsvenskan, a Swedish pro league that is a tier below the SHL, Brandsegg-Nygard recorded 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) and a plus-3 rating over 41 games this season for Mora IK. After playing 14:20 minutes per game in the regular season, he saw 17:29 during the playoffs and put up 10 points (four goals, six assists) through 12 games.
“He’s one of these players that already plays a mature game, plays a pro level game,” Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said over three weeks ago in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “And he has been playing pro hockey. He understands the game to where he makes smart plays, smart decisions where maybe he can be that difference-maker on a play.”
Brandsegg-Nygard has been strong on the international scene, as well. At the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship last month, he had five points (three points, two assists) in seven games for Norway. In the winter at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, he…