It only took nine games for the Detroit Red Wings to figure out Michael Brandsegg-Nygard wasn't as ready for the NHL as they thought. Still, Brandsegg-Nygard should dominate the AHL ranks, and it won't be long until fans see him in a Winged Wheel permanently.
The writing was on the wall when Brandsegg-Nygard played less than seven minutes in that historical comeback win over the St. Louis Blues, and this demotion should give him motivation. Brandsegg-Nygard knows he's close, so don't be surprised when he's taking over games for Grand Rapids.
Speaking of the Detroit Red Wings' comeback win over the Blues
It looks like the Wings shook up the Blues, considering their performance on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. St. Louis let the Penguins skate all over them while Sidney Crosby picked up his 1,700th career point.
The Red Wings can't let the Blues finding themselves outscored 9-3 in their last four periods make them think Tuesday night's matchup will be an easy one. If that happens, then expect to watch the team that flailed against the New York Islanders in that embarassing 7-2 loss. Nope, the Wings must approach this one ready to take care of the Blues quickly.
Erik Gustafsson takes the high road
Erik Gustafsson was one of a few veterans who found himself demoted to the minors following training camp, and he's been commuting to Grand Rapids in hopes of working his way back into the Red Wings' lineup.
Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now noted that Gustafsson talked about the situation. The blueliner reportedly saw the positives, saying, “I told my wife and family that it could have been in a completely different city. Then I would have had to fly there and stay in a hotel the whole time and not get to see the children.
“Now I can come home and visit them every day and pick them up from school and everything. I still get to be a part of their lives right now.”
That's how you take the high road when you're an NHL veteran stuck in the AHL It's also not like Gustafsson hasn't been in this situation before, spending much of his early career floating between the two leagues.
The biggest test for the Red Wings begins
Outlets like the Detroit Free Press have noticed the Red Wings' struggles on the road so far in 2025-26. The last thing the Wings need is to get it into their heads that they can't fare well when making road trips, as that mentality can cost them a playoff berth.
Luckily, the road trip kicking off on Tuesday doesn't feature the toughest opponents, allowing them an opportunity to correct their issues before they get out of hand. The St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks should give the Wings plenty of opportunities to string together some good games and skate away with wins.
A single good road outing will give the Wings a great deal of confidence as they fight to hang onto their No. 2 spot in the Atlantic Division.