GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Hockey League on Wednesday named Grand Rapids Griffins forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to the 2025-26 AHL Top Prospects Team. The team is determined by the league’s hockey operations department in conjunction with AHL general managers as the three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender projected to be the best future NHL players.

Brandsegg-Nygard becomes the second player in Griffins history to be selected to an AHL Top Prospects Team, which was instituted after the 2022-23 campaign. Current Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson received the honor in 2023-24.  

To qualify for the AHL Top Prospects Team, skaters must have been 22 years old or younger on the first day of the regular season, and must have played at least 36 regular-season games in the AHL and no more than 30 regular-season games in the NHL during 2025-26. Goaltenders must have been 23 or younger on opening night and have played at least 25 AHL games and no more than 20 NHL games during the regular season.

2025-26 AHL Top Prospects Team
Goaltender Sergei Murashov, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Defenseman Adam Engstrom, Laval Rocket
Defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, Belleville Senators
Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Grand Rapids Griffins
Forward Konsta Helenius, Rochester Americans
Forward Ilya Protas, Hershey Bears

Brandsegg-Nygard, selected with the 15th overall pick by the Red Wings in 2024, posted 44 points (20-24—44), 42 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating in 60 regular-season games with the Griffins during his rookie campaign. The 20-year-old added a team-high eight points (4-4—8), including three game-winning goals, in eight postseason outings. Brandsegg-Nygard ranked among the AHL’s regular-season rookie leaders in points (T10th), goals (T6th), assists (T14th), plus-minus rating (T8th), power-play goals (7, T6th), shots (147, T7th) and game-winners (8, 1st). He also placed among the regular-season team leaders in points (3rd), assists (3rd), goals (5th), power-play goals (T1st) and game-winners (T1st). Brandsegg-Nygard became the 11th Griffins rookie to score 20 goals and the first since Jonatan Berggren (21) in 2021-22.

Brandsegg-Nygard was one of three rookies to make Detroit’s opening-night roster out of training camp and made his NHL debut on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens. He collected his first NHL point with an assist on Oct. 23 at the New York Islanders and finished the NHL season with one assist, two penalty minutes and a minus-five rating in 14 appearances. 

Brandsegg-Nygard capped off his 2025-26 campaign with Team Norway at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. The Oslo, Norway, native logged six points (3-3—6) in five games at the tournament and led Norway to its first-ever medal at the World Championship, earning bronze with a 3-2 overtime victory over Team Canada. 

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins