Prospect Info: 9OA: Nate Danielson

[Rzombo4 prez]

I like how people on this board said Danielson was unimpressive in the WHL last year and a bad pick and are now saying he is too good for the WHL.

You gotta love it.

At some point people should come clean and just admit that they never actually watched him in Brandon save for some shift-by-shift videos on Youtube.

He is a really good player, but he isn't too good for the CHL and the Wings aren't so bad that they can't afford to keep him off the roster.

 

[Frk It]

At some point people should come clean and just admit that they never actually watched him in Brandon save for some shift-by-shift videos on Youtube.

He is a really good player, but he isn't too good for the CHL and the Wings aren't so bad that they can't afford to keep him off the roster.

How many players drafted outside of the top 5 or top 3 are too good to play in the CHL in their +1 year? I’d say like 99% aren’t. And looking like you belong on an NHL team in camp doesn’t mean you have nothing to gain from being sent back to Juniors. It’s a long f***ing season. Guys wear down if you try to keep them up all year long. And we have enough NHL caliber forwards that him getting sent down so that he can play 20+ minutes every night on a team with much better supporting cast than it had last year is a total non issue.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I still hate that the CHL has the NHL by it’s balls on this. They should have a carve out for top 15 picks that would allow them to jump leagues to the AHL after being drafted.

That is really bad for the 16, 17, and 18 year olds you’re considering drafting. I think each NHL team should have a three year tag where they can select a player.

If you water down the CHL it will hurt guy’s development in my opinion. Now maybe the USHL/college becomes a bigger option as well if you prefer that circumvents a lot of these complaints. Gutting the CHL doesn’t help, the league should throttle some of the import rules on the CHL with NHL muscle is what I would suggest if they keep the same general guidelines.

 

[Henkka]

I like how people on this board said Danielson was unimpressive in the WHL last year and a bad pick and are now saying he is too good for the WHL.

You gotta love it.

Yeah, eye-test vs. NHLrs makes a big difference vs. WHL stat-watching.

Keep him at NHL and put Berggren to AHL.

Problem solved.

 

[Shaman464]

That is really bad for the 16, 17, and 18 year olds you’re considering drafting. I think each NHL team should have a three year tag where they can select a player.

If you water down the CHL it will hurt guy’s development in my opinion. Now maybe the USHL/college becomes a bigger option as well if you prefer that circumvents a lot of these complaints. Gutting the CHL doesn’t help, the league should throttle some of the import rules on the CHL with NHL muscle is what I would suggest if they keep the same general guidelines.

How will it hurt them? This is likely only going to be 3-7 players a year spread across 3 leagues. This year 4 players from the CHL were drafted in the top 15. There is one player who obviously will never play in the CHL ever again. That leaves potentially 3 players that this would be applicable for. The two drafts prior there were 6 and 2 players respectively CHL players in the top 15. The two drafts prior to that it was 7 and 2 respectively.

 

[Shaman464]

I like how people on this board said Danielson was unimpressive in the WHL last year and a bad pick and are now saying he is too good for the WHL.

You gotta love it.

For once it's not me!

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Seems like you have some people in mind, why beat around the bush? Let it fly my man.

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[SCD]

I can see going back to the WHL to improve offensive skill set. However, I am not sure playing against lesser players does much to improve defense. It would be interesting to get an analysis from someone in the game.

 

[lilidk]

It still same crap linemates, like last year, and he already excels much better with professional level linemates.

Danielson has nothing to learn at WHL.

He could come to Finland. Tappara Tampere will need a Center. We have Witkowski here to be his room-mate and mentor.

Could he ? Is not too late, season already started?

 

[lilidk]

Yeah, eye-test vs. NHLrs makes a big difference vs. WHL stat-watching.

Keep him at NHL and put Berggren to AHL.

Problem solved.

Danielson is not ahead of Berggren or Elmer or Mazur or even Kasper. Just because his sealing is much higher than those guys, doesn't mean he should be ahead of them. My biggest concern about Danielson is that starting too early in NHL could ruin him.

 

[Gniwder]

I still hate that the CHL has the NHL by it’s balls on this. They should have a carve out for top 15 picks that would allow them to jump leagues to the AHL after being drafted.

Why 15 teams? Sort of unfair to the other half of the league. If the NHL/CHL does that sort of thing, it should be structured similar to the SHA agreement where all first rounders get an exemption and the league gets paid for those that leave.

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Could he ? Is not too late, season already started?

No, he cannot go to Europe without getting released by the WHL. If the WHL cuts him loose, it would make more sense for him to play in GR, but that won't happen anyways.

 

[Gniwder]

Danielson is not ahead of Berggren or Elmer or Mazur or even Kasper. Just because his sealing is much higher than those guys, doesn't mean he should be ahead of them. My biggest concern about Danielson is that starting too early in NHL could ruin him.

I'm not concerned with this kid, and I'm the one who said Cholo and Zadina were called up too early. He seems to be more comfortable where he's not panicking with the puck or avoiding contact like the other 2.

At the same time, I don't think it's an issue if he spends another year in the WHL. Best case scenario is if both the Wings and Wheatie lock up playoff spots early so he can get a few games in with the Wings.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Danielson was 43rd in the dub last year in PPG. He absolutely is not too good for that league, despite three pre-season games.

 

[Henkka]

Alert. Stat-watcher alert.

 

[Oddbob]

Players being too good for juniors isn't a thing and it hurts no one to play another year in junior. No player has failed in the NHL or any other pro league because they played in junior a year too long.

 

[Henkka]

Players being too good for juniors isn't a thing and it hurts no one to play another year in junior. No player has failed in the NHL or any other pro league because they played in junior a year too long.

Many have wasted development years for this kind of non-competitive season.

Some players won't. But there are multiple cases who waste season.

If you can already play against men, you go for it.

Typical young player is and idiot who can play defensive hockey and that's why they typically are sent to juniors.

But Danielson has that defence and was one of the strongest also at combine. So he has those 2 tools, which prospects many times lack on this age, and which are the reasons go back to juniors.

He doesn't have those reasons, so why go there. Learn from the best and go against higher competition.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Those junior hockey lovers... It's always about talking about scoring support or getting high ice-time.

How about gettting low ice-time at NHL, learning from pros, and hitting more at gym because you have more energy to train, thanks to low ice-time?

There are always options.

You are the only person I have ever seen who consistently makes arguments like this.

The AHL is no good because they travel far by bus, why not uproot your entire life and go to the SHL (for only one season) because the bus rides are shorter. It will make you a better hockey player if you have shorter bus rides, a relatively similar caliber of play, on a non-NHL sized ice surface, deal with culture shock and moving away from your friends and family.

Or now, the secret to becoming a better hockey player is NOT to play hockey, in fact the secret is play less hockey because it will give you more energy to use in the gym. And everyone knows the way you become really good at offense is to watch other people do it from the press box and stay away from sticks and pucks. Just one day you'll wake up and be a world class player despite never playing.

 

[RedWingzz]

Danielson was 43rd in the dub last year in PPG. He absolutely is not too good for that league, despite three pre-season games.

I agree he's not "too good" for the WHL, and if he plays there this year, we would expect a pretty big year. The way I'm looking at it though is simple, the top 12 forwards in the organization should be on the opening night roster. Although it has been a limited sample size, there is no question hat Danielson has been in the top 12 forwards so far. The best players should play, so if he keeps this level of play up, he should at least get a few games to start the year in the NHL. If he looks out of place at that point, then send him back to the WHL.

 

[Indrid Cold]

Yeah, eye-test vs. NHLrs makes a big difference vs. WHL stat-watching.

Keep him at NHL and put Berggren to AHL.

Problem solved.

I agree. He may already be much better defensively than Bergey, and better physically. That seems to be what's important to Stevie/Newsy...

 

[19 for president]

I don't love the AHL as a development league for forwards that don't need physicality development or need to adjust to the ice size.

For a guy like Danielson, I think asking him to go back and dominate the WHL is not a bad idea. You want him to develop as a line driver and push that mentality. I think that is easier to do vs peers than AHL vets.

A guy like Kasper needs to adjust more to the NA ice so I like him in the AHL. A guy like Lombardi needs to develop physically so the AHL is a good option.

I'm not opposed to keeping Danielson up either but its important to note he has been getting a good chunk of playing time right now in the preseason. He is being put into good offensive positions vs weaker NHL opponents. He may not look as good when he gets suffled down the lineup and probably gets limited to no PP time. I don't want him playing like a grinder and get into that funk like a young Flip did. Right now he is riding the preseason high, I don't want to see him benched ala a young Ras and look lost after a rut later in the season.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

At the end of the day the developmental needs of each player are different. There are certain junior age players who play a very immature game and need to be pushed by bigger, faster, older players and put in situations where they need to make decisions faster and with less time and space. These players need to be forced into environments that force them to change the way that they play. 9 out of 10 times the best way to improve is to play with better players at a faster game pace. The downside obviously is that pro hockey is a money-making business and his impacts how certain players are deployed what certain players are effectively allowed to do (especially young players) within the game.

Danielson doesn't fit this mold in my eyes, however. He plays an uber mature style and can make decisions at a pretty good pace already and doesn't seem to struggle reading the game at a level faster than CHL hockey. At pre-season NHL level, however, he also can't play a ton with the puck on his stick and regularly defers to others (not always in a bad way mind you). He definitely has puck skills and definitely can shoot the puck but i think he has room to expand what he can do with the puck, how to get to the middle of the ice with the puck, play at different paces, improve two on one play with and without the puck and find additional ways to utilize his teammates when he has the puck. His game now is very direct. This isn't necessarily bad but it does sometimes make you overly predictable. I think the WHL provides a place where he can try things with the puck with a bit more time and space and can do so without the threat of being benched or seeing serious cuts in ice time or opportunity. He can also cover for some of the risks that he takes at that level (which is something he absolutely won't be able to do in the NHL at this time).

I don't want him rushed into a situation where he is forced to become so conservative that he becomes another Riley Sheahan. We don't need to rush Danielson. This isn't the 2019 Red Wings we are looking at. We have far more legit NHL depth than we have had in a very long time.

 

[Air Budd Dwyer]

At some point people should come clean and just admit that they never actually watched him in Brandon save for some shift-by-shift videos on Youtube.

He is a really good player, but he isn't too good for the CHL and the Wings aren't so bad that they can't afford to keep him off the roster.

This 1000% applies to me with every player ever drafted into the NHL lol. The first time I’m hearing of most of these guys is when they get drafted.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I agree. He may already be much better defensively than Bergey, and better physically. That seems to be what's important to Stevie/Newsy...

That's a good recipe for success. Demote a very talented offensive player on a team that was starving for goals last year when there's scrubs like Veleno and Fischer literally just filling a spot.

 

[raymond23]

90% of development comes down to the player. Their skillset, mentality, physical growth, etc

I think we overvalue the “where” they play part way too much

Give him 9 games if you can then send him back to Brandon to lead a team

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

90% of development comes down to the player. Their skillset, mentality, physical growth, etc

I think we overvalue the “where” they play part way too much

Give him 9 games if you can then send him back to Brandon to lead a team

I agree 100%, but the one thing an organization can do to screw up the process is to rush a player or put them in a situation wherein they cannot succeed.