DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Fabian Brunnstrom to a pro tryout contract, assistant general manager Jim Nill confirmed Monday afternoon.

Detroit was one of three teams that pursued the much-hyped, late-blooming, undrafted Swedish forward in 2008, but he opted to sign with the Dallas Stars.

"Things just haven't gone the way he wanted to. He actually approached us and said he'd like another opportunity," Nill said. "He knows now what it takes to be a pro after it probably caught him a little off guard being a younger guy from Sweden.

"I think he just said, 'You know what, if I'm going to have a chance to be a pro maybe I can do it in Detroit.' We said, 'You're welcome to come and try out,' and he accepted."

The 26-year-old became just the third player in NHL history to notch a hat trick in his debut on Oct. 15, 2008 against Nashville, and tallied 17 goals, 12 assists and a minus-8 rating in 55 games as a rookie in 2008-09. But he had just two goals and nine assists in 44 games the following season and had trouble adjusting to NHL hockey.

The 6-foot-1, 206-pound left wing was traded to Toronto last season for forward Mikhail Stefanovich, but never played for the Maple Leafs. Instead, he appeared in 35 games for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, where he had four goals and 10 assists.

The Red Wings' 23-man roster is set. There is no room for any additions without moving a player. Brunnstrom would have to beat out somebody in training camp or the preseason -- Jiri Hudler would be the most likely candidate, but even that is unlikely to happen -- to earn a contract, unless the team suffers a long-term injury before the season.

"It's up to the player coming in. It's much like Mikael Samuelsson or Dan Cleary, who came to camps on tryouts five, six, seven years ago," Nill said. "The opportunity is there, it's just how you play. If he comes in and plays well and is better than somebody else, then we'll make things happen. It's performance-based. If he's somebody that can help us win games, then he's going to be in the mix. But we'll let that play itself out."

It's unclear if Brunnstrom could wind up with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

"I really haven't talked to him about that," Nill said. "His focus is to come here and make the Red Wings and we'll go from there."

E-mail Michael Zuidema: mzuidema@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/michaelzuidema