The Detroit Red Wings’ season has seen a youth movement start to take over, with four Red Wings skaters making their National Hockey League debut. Emmitt Finnie, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård all made the team out of training camp, while Nate Danielson was called to make his debut against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 9.
Finnie and Sandin-Pellikka remain with the Red Wings, while Brandsegg-Nygård was optioned to Grand Rapids after appearing in nine games. After Monday night's 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators, where Danielson was healthy scratched, the Red Wings announced that the forward was being sent to the American Hockey League, to continue his development with the Griffins.
Danielson started the preseason strong, picking up one goal and two assists over the first three games, before being injured in a 3-2 loss against Pittsburgh on Sep. 26. Danielson returned from the injury on Oct. 24, with the Griffins. In four games, Danielson posted one goal and four assists before getting the call for his debut.
In 28 games with the Red Wings, Danielson has recorded two goals, five assists and has a minus-seven rating. The offensive game has not been what the Red Wings and coach Todd McLellan had hoped for upon the time of the call-up. Speaking to the media in November, McLellan spoke on why the time was right to bring up Danielson.
“We have been struggling offensively as of late. Nate, had he not been hurt in training camp would have started the year with our team,” McLellan said. “He’s had a pretty good start in Grand Rapids. We wanted to see him now so we can perhaps make decisions on other players.”
Getting back to being hard to play against
Flash forward almost two months, and Danielson is returning to the Griffins. The calling card on Danielson prior to being selected in the first-round, ninth overall by Detroit at the 2023 NHL draft was how difficult Danielson made it for other teams’ players.
The first overall selection from the 2023 draft, Connor Bedard, referred to Danielson as the toughest center he faced in the Western Hockey League, something that Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper was really excited to hear.
“It kind of stands out when you hear Connor Bedard talking about how tough he is to play against,” Draper said. “That brought a smile to our faces.”
Danielson spent the entire duration of the 2024-25 season with the Griffins, appearing in 71 games, posting 12 goals and 27 assists, while being a plus-4. In three playoff games, the forward recorded one goal.
A step back to reset for the 21-year-old could be exactly what Danielson needs. Since being sent down to the Griffins, Brandsegg-Nygård has appeared in 26 games, totalling eight goals and 13 assists, while being a plus-18.
Getting the chance to play big minutes and all situations on a Griffins team that finds themselves 28-1-1-1, good for first place in the Eastern Conference, could help allow Danielson to be more NHL-ready whenever the next call is made.