The  Detroit Red Wings’ collection of rookie additions to their 2025-26 roster has been reduced from three to two.

GM Steve Yzerman sent Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (15th, 2024) to the Grand Rapids Griffins Monday afternoon before the Red Wings left on their five-game Western road trip. That starts Tuesday in St. Louis.

“We’re talking about the youngest guy on our team,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said before the demotion was announced. “He had a significant impact in exhibition season. The NHL starts and some of the superstars are still trying to find their game. The goaltenders are trying to find their way and you get to around the nine or 10-game mark, and that’s what the real NHL is and that’s where we’re at right now. It’s getting faster for him and he’s still doing a good job in a lot of areas.

No Replacement for Now

The Red Wings didn’t immediately call-up a replacement. The Griffins play in Iowa Tuesday, and it may mean that the Red Wings will wait until after that game and let the newcomer join the team on the West Coast. Even without MBN and injured Patrick Kane, the Red Wings still have 12 forwards

It might be too soon to promote Danielson who has only had one game since coming off the injured list. It could be Carter Mazur who has six points, including four goals in Grand Rapids’ 5-0 start. John Leonard, with five goals in the past three games, could be another possibility.  The 27-year-old New Jersey native received a one-way contract ($775,000) from the Red Wings in the summer after scoring 36 goals, 44 counting the playoffs, for the Charlotte Checkers last season.

Brandsegg-Nygard is going down after nine games with the Red Wings. He wasn’t able to make the same impact that Axel Sandin Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie are making. MBN owns a sizzling shot and a scoring touch, but managed only one assist. He did lead Detroit with 28 hits.

The demotion looked possible after coach Todd McLellan played Brandsegg-Nygard only six minutes and 37 seconds in Detroit’s dramatic come-from-behindd-6-4 win against the St. Louis Blues.