Red Wings sign Noah Dower-Nilsson to entry-level contract

A rising prospect has inked his first NHL contract.

On Sunday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that the team has signed forward Noah Dower-Nilsson to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal is set to begin with the 2026-27 season.

Dower-Nilsson was taken by the Red Wings in the third round, 73rd overall, of the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s the younger brother of center Liam Dower-Nilsson, who was picked by Detroit in the 2021 draft, though he never signed with the team.

The younger of the Dower-Nilsson clan has become known for his playmaking ability and overall sense of the game in the offensive zone. He can create space with his quickness, while being an efficient forechecker who can quickly turn defense into offense.

The 20-year-old has spent the past two seasons with Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In his first full campaign with the club during the 2024-25 season, he scored four goals and six assists for 10 points, but didn’t register a point in the playoffs as the Indians lost in the semifinals to the eventual SHL champions, Luleå HF.

This year, Dower-Nilsson had a little more production, notching six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 48 games, before adding two goals and four points in the postseason. Ultimately, Frölunda was eliminated by Luleå once again, this time losing in six games during the quarterfinals.

In the midst of the 2025-26 campaign, the Strömstad, Sweden native, helped the Indians capture the Champions Hockey League title for a record fifth time, and the first since 2019-20.

Across four seasons in the SHL, Dower-Nilsson appeared in 91 games, scoring 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points.

Internationally, Dower-Nilsson has played for Sweden a few times. He helped Tre Kronor take home the silver medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2023 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. Also, he won bronze at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.