Red Wings sign third round pick to three-year entry deal

On Sunday morning, the Detroit Red Wings announced that they signed forward Noah Dower-Nilsson to a three-year entry-level contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. 

The 20-year-old forward was originally selected by the Red Wings in the third round, 73rd overall, during the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Per puckpedia.com, the contract is worth $2.97 million with an annual average value (AAV) of $990,000. This is the third of general manager Steve Yzerman's entry-level contract signings over the last month, including forward Eddie Genborg and goaltender Trey Augustine.

A look into Noah Dower-Nilsson’s 2025-26 season

Dower-Nilsson spent the 2025-26 season playing with Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In 48 games, Dower-Nilsson recorded six goals and 10 assists to go along with a plus-minus rating of plus-seven. The former third-round draft pick’s game also stepped up in the playoffs, as across six games, Dower-Nilsson chipped in two goals and two assists in a quarterfinals loss to Luleå HF. 

Dower-Nilsson’s game has continued to evolve over each of his past three seasons as the forward has become a regular in Sweden’s top professional league. In 2023-24, Dower-Nilsson appeared in five games, recording two points. In 2024-25, Dower-Nilsson skated in 35 games and posted 10 points before this season’s high of 16. 

EliteProspects praises Dower-Nilsson for his vision. "Noah Dower Nilsson possesses an impressive blend of playmaking, raw skill, and offensive sense," reads the EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide. "Whether he is manipulating defenders off the rush to create space or turning forechecking steals into ridiculous spin passes to the slot from behind the net, he's always using his offensive instincts and sense to generate opportunities for himself and teammates."

Dower-Nilsson is one of the youngest players on Frölunda, trailing only projected top-five draft pick Ivar Stenberg, for skaters who appeared in at least 15 games. Dower-Nilsson's continued growth speaks to a growing trend of developing prospects for the Red Wings. The forward’s time on ice saw an increase this season, rising from 10:49 per game during the 2024-25 season to 12:20 per game this season.

Timeline for Noah Dower-Nilsson’s arrival

At the time of the signing, there was no announcement of when Dower-Nilsson was expected to come to North America and join the Red Wings’ organization. The Grand Rapids Griffins are currently in the midst of a dominant season at the American Hockey League level, so the club might wait on bringing the forward to the AHL until the start of next year, when the stakes aren’t as high. 

At the time of his selection, Dower-Nilsson was coming off a season with Vastra Frolunda Jr. of the Swedish Junior League, where he recorded 26 goals and 28 assists, leading his team in both goals and points with 54. With continued growth as Dower-Nilsson has climbed the professional ranks in Sweden, the 20-year-old could become an option sooner rather than later in Detroit as the club continues to try to find reliable scoring options at the NHL level.