Nate Danielson, Todd McLellan Morning Skate Media | Dec. 6, 2025

Nate Danielson, Todd McLellan Morning Skate Media | Dec. 6, 2025

two of this season long six game road trip. What’s the approach for you guys going into tonight? Um I feel like just get off to a good start. Um try to get every game as quickly as we can and um just establish uh the way we play and try to do that as quick as we can. I believe your first goal in the NHL was against the Kraken a couple weeks ago. Um looking back on that moment, how fast has time flown for you in the last few weeks? Yeah, it’s gone by fast. Uh doesn’t feel that long ago that I even got called up. So, um, it’s gone by fast, but having fun and, um, yeah, it’s been, uh, it’s been a good time. Looking back on the Columbus game in particular, you guys rally back from that deficit there late. Uh, just the mentality of that to navigate that on the road. Yeah, I mean I feel like it was uh probably not um defensively our best game and um ways to improve on that side of the puck, but I mean I feel like it was uh good resiliency and um just as a group good to have that resiliency to be able to come back and um get ahead. So I think just got to work on closing the game out at that point. Road trip like this, there’s obviously a lot of time to hang out off the ice. I guess the importance of team bonding too in a season like this where it just flies by so fast it seems. Yeah, it’s really important. Um I feel like especially like being one of the newer guys and not knowing guys as well, it’s important to spend some time away from the rink with them and uh get to do different thing like dinners and stuff like that and um just get to come together as a team a bit more. You’re I’m sure you’re adjusting off the ice but on the ice as well. How do you feel like your game has progressed in the last couple weeks in in the NHL here? Uh, I feel like just getting more comfortable honestly. Um, feel like kind of just getting used to the pace and everything and um, I just feel more comfortable and confident as the games go by. Thanks, Danny. Yeah. Moiders game grow specifically this season. Well, he’s he started with a real good game. Um, you know, he built on the foundation that he’s put put in play over the last four or five seasons. Um, he’s more confident, he’s stronger. Um, I think the power play, he’s learning to uh to to see things a little bit more and adjust his game there. Uh, but just overall, he’s he’s a heck of a player. We’re we’re happy we have him. Um, leadership skills are are developing a bit more. Um, so there’s still room for growth, but uh we’re happy with his progress. What have you seen from the for check the last couple games? Albert Johansson yesterday talked about how he feels like you guys have been pretty aggressive on it. We paid attention to it um pre-Boston. um with the lack of practice time, you got to pick your poison a little bit and we’ve been trying to focus so much on defense that we uh we haven’t talked a lot about offensive concepts and uh we paid attention to it, addressed it uh worked on it a little bit in practice and thought the Boston series that showed up uh to be effective again. Um even the other night in uh in Columbus, it it had its moments where we were able to get on top of people and uh loosen up some pucks, play in the offensive zone, which also helps us defensively. Do you have any relationship with Jessica Campbell? Both Saskatchewan’s own there kind of familiar? I don’t no um no relation no uh you know no real contact obviously uh I’m aware of her career. I think it’s great that she’s getting an opportunity or not not getting an opportunity earned the opportunity. Um and from what I understand she does a real good job. A win against a Kraken a couple weeks ago on home ice going into tonight. What are some of the areas of their game that stand out to you when you scout them? Well, I think uh for us number one, the start’s going to be real important. They’re obviously not overly happy with uh with some of the results probably over the last little bit. Um therefore, uh we better be ready to play and they’re a real strong checking team. They they understand their number. I’ve talked about each team has a number. They understand what their number is and what they need to do to keep it at that. They’re committed to it. Um they’ve been getting some some good goalending. Um, so I I don’t expect the game to play out any different than what it did in Detroit. Uh, tight checking, tight game, uh, beginning 10 to end. Obviously, everybody wants to score first, but you guys are 83 and one. When you do score first, how do you get back to to more of that specifically in the early parts of the game? Well, our forch check, uh, being ready to go and and, you know, we could be that way 82 times a year. There’s no guarantee you’re going to put the puck in the net first. Uh, it’s breaks, it’s faceoffs, it’s whoever gets the first power play. Um, I do understand those numbers and it’s it’s great for us to get the lead, but um, you know, you can’t specifically work on uh, scoring first. Um, there’s so many variables that go into it and uh, if you’re not ready to play, you’re likely not going to uh to jump out in front. If you are ready to play, it gives your your team an opportunity to accomplish that. That’ll be the focus, being ready to play, not talking about who scores first.

Nate Danielson and Todd McLellan speak with the media following Detroit’s morning skate on Saturday December 6, 2025.