It’s the moment Red Wings fans have been eagerly waiting for — two of Detroit’s top prospects are officially headed to North America. On Tuesday, the team announced that forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka have been assigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins from Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League.
Known affectionately as MBN and ASP among the fanbase, both players are recent first-round picks by GM Steve Yzerman — ASP went 17th overall in 2023, and MBN followed at 15th in 2024. They’re already under entry-level contracts and are now set to make their mark stateside.
Brandsegg-NygÃ¥rd posted a modest 11 points (5G, 6A) in 42 SHL regular-season games, but was still regarded as one of the league’s top U20 players. He ramped it up in the playoffs, registering 6 points (4G, 2A) in 11 games. A powerful 6’1″, 206-pound winger, MBN brings a gritty, physical style and a heavy shot that’s hard to miss.
Sandin-Pellikka, on the other hand, had a standout campaign as one of the SHL’s best young blueliners — and not for the first time. His 12 goals and 29 points led all under-21 skaters in the league this season, and he added 7 points in 14 playoff games. Across two SHL seasons, ASP has totaled 52 points (24G, 28A) in 107 games. He checks every box as a future top offensive defenseman in the NHL.
MBN & ASP ARE HERE 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ehrnrUn9pW
— x – Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) April 15, 2025
While the Red Wings’ season is winding down without a playoff berth, the Griffins are gearing up for a postseason run — which means we likely won’t see ASP or MBN in Detroit just yet (a bit of a bummer, admittedly). With three regular-season games left, the Griffins will likely give both players some practice time to adjust to the North American rink and game speed.
Unfortunately for fans, Grand Rapids has already played its final home game of the year, but if you’re not planning on paying to stream AHL games, there are plenty of great Twitter/X accounts that post highlights and updates on both players — definitely worth checking out to follow their progress.
