With the races in the American Hockey League heating up during its 90th anniversary season, NHL.com delivers the latest bi-weekly notebook breaking down all the happenings around the league.
Behind the play of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Sebastian Cossa, Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings) became the first team to clinch a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Prospects for the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning are also putting together strong seasons as the AHL season heads into its stretch drive.
Brandsegg-Nygard leads Grand Rapids to playoff berth
The Detroit Red Wings hope that foward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is a big part of their future. In the meantime, he is in line to get valuable experience in the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.
The 20-year-old was named the AHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 1 after he had five goals and an assist in three games. The Red Wings selected him in the first round (No. 15) of the 2024 NHL Draft, and he has divided his first season in North America between Detroit and Grand Rapids. He has one assist in nine games with the Red Wings and 37 points (16 goals, 121 assists) in 49 games, which is fourth among rookies.
Brandsegg-Nygard and fellow top prospect Sebastian Cossa have played key roles in leading Grand Rapids to the postseason. Cossa, a first-round pick (No. 15) in the 2021 NHL Draft, is 24-4-3 in 31 games with a 1.99 goals-against average and .927 save percentage. He is second in the AHL in wins and GAA and third in save percentage. The 23-year-old was recalled to the Red Wings on Wednesday under emergency conditions with John Gibson day to day because of an upper-body injury.
Grand Rapids is a league-best 42-8-3-1 (.815) and threatening to break the AHL record for points percentage (.775) set by Binghamton (New York Rangers) in 1992-93.