The Free Press’s Helene St. James joins the chorus of praise for Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson in her early-morning-posted column. St. James discusses
Danielson, 19, had a goal and two assists in his first four exhibition games, added a second goal Thursday night in Toronto, and has held his own thanks to playing a smart game.
“It’s kind of how I’ve always been, poised with the puck,” Danielson said. “It’s different here with how quickly things happen, but I still wanted to keep that in my game. It’s something that makes me successful. So I just try to play confident.”
The 6-foot-2, 186-pound forward captained the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings during the 2022-23 season and was the team leader in numerous categories: 33 goals, 45 assists, 78 points, 13 power play goals, 38 power play points and three shorthanded goals. Danielson was named to the WHL East Division’s Second All-Star Team and competed at the 2023 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Having gotten a taste of what it is like to play against NHLers — facing off against Corey Perry in Chicago was an special thrill, Danielson said, “because he’s been around a long time” — has impressed upon Danielson how much he still has to grow his game. “Everyone is a lot faster, and things happen faster out there,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest difference.”
Danielson played Thursday on a line with Klim Kostin and Jonatan Berggren, a line with skill and toughness.
“He’ll be in our top six, complementing him with some NHLers,” [Red Wings coach Derek] Lalonde said of Danielson. “And that’s at center. He’s mostly been at center throughout camp, but we’ve given him some wing looks, just to play in some of those games with some NHLers.”
Continued; Danielson will return to captain the improving Wheat Kings this season, and he’ll play well enough to make some folks wonder whether the Wings should have kept him.
Regrettably, the NHL-CHL agreement stipulates that it’s the NHL or Major Junior for Danielson this season, so the Wings cannot assign him to Grand Rapids until after the Wheat Kings’ regular season and/or playoff run is/are over.
Next year, Danielson will definitely start in Grand Rapids, presuming that he doesn’t steal a job with the Red Wings.
