Prospect Info: 9OA: Nate Danielson

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Kasper's production was rough the first half of his rookie AHL season, then it picked up significantly in the second half. Kasper's production was rough the first half of his rookie NHL season, and now he's been a nearly PPG player for an extended period and looking to maintain that for the rest of the season. Compare that to Seider who had a meteoric rise with every passing season since he was drafted.

The ups and downs of a young player can be deceiving, there's no set path. There's a lot to like about Danielson and he has received high praise from a lot of people. I'm not concerned about him, even if the production never fully comes he'll still be a valuable player. And at his age, he has several years to figure it out and put it all together.
 
My biggest concern with Danielson right now is I think he has a clear "go to" play (it took me under a minute to find an example), and its not a particularly a good one.

He'll skate into the offensive corner on the rush, then pass the puck towards the slot, backwards



I think you'll find numerous examples of this working in his highlights, and can point to that as high passing/playmaking ability, but I'm not so sure I see it that way. The specific one at the time stamp was clearly a bad decision and a pass to 5 defenders that got very lucky.

I think that's not a very good hockey play and will only get worse the higher levels he advances if he doesn't correct it. That will frequently turn into an odd man rush gong the other way if he's trying it in the NHL.

And I don't have video of this, but I already had this frustration in my head when I turned on the 3rd period of the Griffins game on Wednesday. I saw Danielson do exactly this. Skate to the corner and throw it back into the slot... only thing was that he didn't realize the rest of his team changed and no one was even inside the blueline when he tried making the pass
 
I think the thing we're forgetting about GR and perhaps more specifically Danielson is that they're still playing Lalonde's system down there. They never got the McLellan update. So it's no big surprise, for example, that Soderblom looks much better in the NHL now. Danielson was a lot better than him in the first half, too.

I bet pretty much everyone down there would be playing a lot better in the new system.
 
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I think the thing we're forgetting about GR and perhaps more specifically Danielson is that they're still playing Lalonde's system down there. They never got the McLellan update. So it's no big surprise, for example, that Soderblom looks much better in the NHL now. Danielson was a lot better than him in the first half, too.

I bet pretty much everyone down there would be playing a lot better in the new system.
So we’re assuming AHL coaches are forced to run the exact same system as their NHL teams?

I feel like that’s problematic for a number of reasons.
 
I think the thing we're forgetting about GR and perhaps more specifically Danielson is that they're still playing Lalonde's system down there. They never got the McLellan update. So it's no big surprise, for example, that Soderblom looks much better in the NHL now. Danielson was a lot better than him in the first half, too.

I bet pretty much everyone down there would be playing a lot better in the new system.

A new NHL coach doesn't provide an update to the AHL team like a video game update or something. Dan Watson is the coach and they are playing whatever his system is. Nothing to do with Lalonde. Why would another coach use the NHL coaches system? There would literally be no point to new coaches in the AHL if the AHL coach just uses the NHL system. Also, if they were using Lalonde's system, why would they not switch to the new coach if that is how it worked?
 
So we’re assuming AHL coaches are forced to run the exact same system as their NHL teams?

I feel like that’s problematic for a number of reasons.
It's not identical, but the idea is to minimize the adjustment period when players come up. And as you can imagine, they weren't just going to scratch all that and change their system mid-season just because Lalonde got fired.
 
So we’re assuming AHL coaches are forced to run the exact same system as their NHL teams?

I feel like that’s problematic for a number of reasons.

This has been discussed quite a bit, and it’s very common for the AHL affiliate to run a similar or the same system as the NHL team. They often do this because it makes it easier for call ups to transition.
 
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My biggest concern with Danielson right now is I think he has a clear "go to" play (it took me under a minute to find an example), and its not a particularly a good one.

He'll skate into the offensive corner on the rush, then pass the puck towards the slot, backwards



I think you'll find numerous examples of this working in his highlights, and can point to that as high passing/playmaking ability, but I'm not so sure I see it that way. The specific one at the time stamp was clearly a bad decision and a pass to 5 defenders that got very lucky.

I think that's not a very good hockey play and will only get worse the higher levels he advances if he doesn't correct it. That will frequently turn into an odd man rush gong the other way if he's trying it in the NHL.

And I don't have video of this, but I already had this frustration in my head when I turned on the 3rd period of the Griffins game on Wednesday. I saw Danielson do exactly this. Skate to the corner and throw it back into the slot... only thing was that he didn't realize the rest of his team changed and no one was even inside the blueline when he tried making the pass

I know which plays you're talking about and I've been watching this season to see if that's what he sticks to, or if he makes higher percentage plays instead. He's generated an assist doing it once, but I recall he has tried it less than a handful of times the whole season

That play on Wednesday in particular I wouldn't really call it that. He wasn't going full speed, and he saw Rafferty actually broke loose to the net and was there for a redirect if the pass got through but it went off Skinner's skate. The junior plays were at full speed through a crowd of 4-5+ players

He found out really quick back in October that he can't be doing some of the plays in junior like the ones you speak of. Personally I like what I've seen considering he hasn't had the most suitable set of linemates saddled with him. He's been adjusting his tune all year with what he can and can't try and he'll continue to do that. Hopefully (ideally) generate some more numbers on the board down the stretch as a result too. Keep him with Mazur and Shine
 
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This has been discussed quite a bit, and it’s very common for the AHL affiliate to run a similar or the same system as the NHL team. They often do this because it makes it easier for call ups to transition.
I am sure they try to have there be some overlaps, where possible.

But why would you ever hire a coach from the AHL if they don't have and run their own systems?
 
I am sure they try to have there be some overlaps, where possible.

But why would you ever hire a coach from the AHL if they don't have and run their own systems?

Why would you hire a coach that is going to teach your players to play counter to how you want them to in the NHL?
 
Over the next 6 months:
  • He’ll add weight and get stronger
  • Gain more pro experience
  • Get roster help from the return of Lombardi and the like
  • Have more talks with coaches and management
  • Continue to mature between the ears
  • Get more peer support from seasoned vets
  • Etc.
In other words, there are like half a dozen different avenues with which he can effect change as a player in the near future. And some of those changes are going to happen regardless of his will to change them. Just because we aren’t all beaming with excitement at his progress right now says nothing of whether or not that progress will be made.
 
Why would you hire a coach that is going to teach your players to play counter to how you want them to in the NHL?
I don't know, I feel like we could have a whole separate discussion on this.

I can see pros and cons for both sides.

I always thought that NHL clubs would like their AHL team to run the same system, but it's not a requirement. I have never viewed it as a black and white thing that all AHL clubs run the exact same system as their NHL counterparts. If that is a thing, I guess I just didn't know.
 
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I'm as guilty of stat watching as anyone, but I try to remember that in the long term of a prospect's career, one or two weeks doesn't mean much of anything - as long as he's not getting benched and clearly going backwards, not getting 3 points in a 10 game span he probably should have isn't going to mean anything.
We’re not talking one or two weeks here with Danielson, we’re talking months. While the Griffins have recently slowed down, Danielson’s slump dates back to before mid December. In his 21 game, 6 point slump the Griffins have scored 54 goals. Factoring in on just 6 goals (and only scoring one himself) is certainly concerning.
 
I think Danielson will be like Kasper, starts in GR next season and after first injury gets called up and never looks back.
Quite likely unless he really flips the switch well before the Calder playoffs and has a camp too good to not keep him up. SY will like have a spot or two open for GR grads next year.
 

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