They are former first-round picks and were teammates in the Swedish Hockey League, and on Thursday, they teamed up for a goal in a preseason game for the Detroit Red Wings.

Axel Sandin Pellikka set up Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s power-play goal in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena.

“Yeah, that was nice,” Brandsegg-Nygard said.

It’s a combination the Grand Rapids Griffins hope will connect to produce a fair amount of offense this season on the way to becoming Red Wings in the near future.

The 6-1, 206-pound Brandsegg-Nygard, selected 15th overall in 2024, makes his presence felt not only with his skills but also his physicality.

“I’m just trying to show that I’m willing to play hard to play here, and I know the hockey in the NHL is pretty hard, so trying to

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