The pick is in. The Red Wings have selected centerman Nate Danielson out of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings at 9th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s a six-foot-one 187-pounder from Red Deer Alberta, and has nearly three seasons under his belt in the CHL.
When asked about Danielson on the ESPN broadcast, Steve Yzerman said “we like the fact that he’s a big strong two-way centerman” who can “play in all situations.”
Danielson has notched 150 points (59-91–150) in 145 games with the Wheat Kings. When asked about what he models his game after, Danielson mentioned Dylan Cozens and Nick Suzuki. Most rankings had him somewhere in the 15-30 range but we all know how much NHL teams love players who play a big two-way game. Especially centers.
Here’s a snippet of what EliteProspects said about Nate Danielson:
“Danielson was a creator of rush offence, building speed beneath the puck, charging through the neutral zone with possession, carving the ice up with powerful, agile crossovers, and turning the corner on opposing defenceman. Equal parts natural speed as a skater and handling skill made that a relatively effective signature move for the Wheat Kings centre.”
