@@Detroit Red Wings

With the 9th overall pick the Detroit Red Wings select Nate Danielson in the 2023 NHL Draft

  • June 29, 2023


Date of Birth: Sep 27, 2004
Position: C
Age: 18
Height: 6’1″ / 186 cm
Place of Birth: Red Deer, AB, CAN
Weight: 187 lbs / 85 kg
Nation: Canada
Shoots: R

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/562426/nate-danielson

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https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/prospect-of-interest-the-upside-and-limited-downside-of-nate-danielson/

https://thehockeywriters.com/nate-danielson-2023-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/could-safe-nate-danielson-be-the-2023-nhl-drafts-first-round-sleeper

2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Nate Danielson

Scouting Report: Nate Danielson

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From [NHL Draft confidential: What scouts and executives think of Bedard, Michkov and more
](https://theathletic.com/4553117/2023/06/13/nhl-draft-2023-scouts-executives-reports-observations/)

**Who is No. 2 in the WHL? I presume No. 1 (Connor Bedard) is not up for debate!**

Executive 1: “Danielson. He has so much going for him. He’s a great skater, the size down the middle, he has skill, hockey sense, he plays both ways. He could be a better skating version of Anton Lundell.”

Scout 2: “Danielson has an easy path to being a top two-line NHL center. He skates very well, he’s smart, he competes, he has NHL size. People are sleeping on him.”

Executive 3: “Danielson has a lot of NHL in him, a ton of upside between his size, skating and skill. He didn’t have as much around him as the other top guys, but he would have put up a lot of points on a different team.”

Scout 4: “I lean Danielson. He looks like a no-doubt NHL center, a guy who is going to play for a long time and be very good for you. I can’t sit here and promise you big point totals, maybe they come, maybe they don’t, but you can pick him and sleep easy.”

Executive 5: “It’s between Danielson and Honzek for me. I lean Danielson because of the position. Both have NHL bodies and skating ability, produce offense and are two-way guys.”

48 comments

  7. I’m huffing copium like a motherfucker

    Edit: he compares himself to Cozens. I’ll be over the fucking moon if he comes even remotely close to that.

    I’m gonna flesh out my comment. I’m totally okay with this pick. I trust Yzerman and Draper completely and I believe they’re building a team that will dominate come playoff time.

  11. Love a toolsy right shot center. Not sure I take him over Dvorsky or Perreault but hey I trust Stevie.

  14. Wings need offense. Dude may have some of that but it’s not as proven as some of these guys around him. Not thrilled.

  15. I like it. I don’t know if I would have taken him at 9, but he’s basically Canadian Dvorsky. Great shot, hell to play against, a center, and basically what the team needs. I think he’s our 2C within a year or so, and Kasper is our 3C. That’s not too bad for center depth, in my opinion.

  19. I’m meh about it. It’s how I felt about Kasper. I think it’ll work out.

    Now make 17 really count

  21. I feel like I’m a lot higher on the guy than most Red Wings Fans, but if nothing else, picking Danielson here makes me feel a lot better about a potential Debrincat trade. You NEED size and compete, he brings both. If you have it you can afford the luxury of a one timer merchant like Debrincat.

  23. Not to be a downer, but would we not have just been happier with Konency instead of that pick?

  26. Last time I said ‘WTF’ with a wings pick it was Moritz Seider. Trust the Yzerplan.

  28. Would have preferred Dvorsky, but I will trust Yzerman. Just hope they go forward again at 17.

  29. Great pick. Gives us center depth and another right-handed prospect. Put Danielson on a better team and he pops off offensively. He has the speed and the shot to be a threat. Let alone his responsible defensive game.

  30. I was a little surprised but we all had this reaction with Seider. Trust Stevie Y. If he likes him then I like him

  32. Yzerman and his team have been scouting players for tonight for the last couple of years, so stop thinking for even a fraction of a second that you know better.

  33. And this is why I ignore all the mock drafts and other pre-draft speculation. Welcome to Detroit Nate.

  35. Good sized right handed center who plays a defensively responsible 200 foot game and has untapped offensive potential. I’m totally happy with this pick. We need centers.

  38. Big upside. Played on a really bad team and looked worse than he is. He’s old for this draft class, but I think that’s overrated as a factor. He’s got a lot more flair and offense than people think.

    This pick will seem obvious next year.

    Fun fact: Corey Pronman is finally going to love a player we drafted. He’s pretty much the president of the Danielson fan club

  39. Say what you want about him, but Pronman had him as the 7th best player, comped him to Elias Lindholm, and had this as his scouting report.

    Analysis

    Danielson is a well-rounded center who has a lot of NHL traits. He’s a big body who skates and competes well, which when combined with his offensive touch, allows him to be effective in a lot of situations. He has an excellent stick, and is able to beat defenders with skill at NHL speeds often. He makes a lot of plays with pace but also shows the vision and shot threat to run a power play off the edge. Danielson is a competitive two-way center who wins a good share of puck battles and can kill penalties. He looks like a potential high-in-the-lineup all-situations center in the NHL.

    Also that Athletic is worth it for hockey content.

  40. Two huge defensemen and two two-way centers who are bastards to play against. This is what you want in the playoffs, IMO. If Kasper and Danielson can round out their offensive games, this is a blueprint for lots of success. My excitement for the pick was initially very much on the charts, but I think I see what they are going for.

  41. I’m not overly excited about this pick, but…..the last time the wings actually took the prospect I really wanted at the spot they picked, it was Zadina.

    I’ve given up judging these picks based on my feeling.

    Glad Steve got his guy and I hope it works out for us.

  44. https://theathletic.com/4601436/2023/06/22/2023-nhl-draft-prospects-favorites/

    Nate Danielson, C, Brandon-WHL
    My first comparable for Danielson in this draft process was Dylan Cozens. I’ve since walked that back and changed it to Elias Lindholm just because of the frame differences, but there was a logical reason for that choice.

    I saw two right-handed centers who skate and compete well and have good size and played in the WHL and similar statistical profiles in their draft years. Without telling you who’s who, here is the production of Cozens or Danielson in their draft leadup in the WHL.

    Player 1:

    Draft Year: 68 GP 33 G 78 pts

    Draft Year -1: 53 GP 23 G 57 pts

    Player 2:

    Draft Year: 68 GP 34 G 84 pts

    Draft Year -1: 57 GP 22 G 53 pts

    Cozens is a little bigger and was a few months younger going into the draft, and has emerged as a young star in the league. I don’t think Danielson will be as good as him. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to suggest he could become an excellent NHL center and I think knocks on his production are a little over the top. I flat-out disagree with the many assertions I hear that Danielson lacks offense. When I’ve watched him the last two-three years I’ve seen high-end skill and a player who can make skilled plays at pace. I don’t think he’s going to be this massive scorer, but I see good NHL offense to justify a high pick.

  46. Note to future me:

    In case I was stupid about this pick, haha

    But as for the moment. I have no strong feelings one way or another. Was hoping for something outside the realm of safe “defensively responsible, two-way” player, but it is what it is.

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