NHL.com’s Dave Hogg posted a profile of Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson on Saturday night, discussing Danielson’s strong performance during Detroit’s Summer Development Camp as something of tone-setting event as Danielson looks to make the Wings’ roster out of training camp and the exhibition season:
“He had a tremendous season, and he tested No. 1 here (in conditioning tests),” Red Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said. “Nate is a serious, driven kid, and he’s starting to come out of his shell. He works hard and he looks good — there’s not much else to say.”
Danielson is coming off his fourth season in the Western Hockey League, where he had 67 points (24 goals, 43 assists) in 54 games with Brandon and Portland, and 24 points (seven goals, 17 points) in 18 playoff games to help Portland reach the WHL final. He also had three points (one goal, two assists) in five games for Canada in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Most notable were the two American Hockey League playoff games he got into with Grand Rapids, his first taste of playing as a pro.
“That was good experience for me,” Danielson said during developmental camp. “Making that jump to pro next year, I know the speed of the game. Everyone is older, bigger and stronger, so knowing what to expect definitely helps.”
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“Every year, you try to improve,” he said. “I’ve improved since (last year) as a person and as a player with all of the new experiences I’ve had.”
At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he could benefit from a full season in the Red Wings strength program, and a full season in the AHL would provide experience he couldn’t get in the WHL. But Danielson said his sights are set even higher.
“I believe in myself,” he said. “I think I can make it.”
Continued; if anything, Danielson, who will turn pro with the Grand Rapids Griffins this upcoming season, has a ton of self-belief, and a professional athlete needs to be borderline arrogant to make it.
