BSH Community Draft Board, No 13: Nate Danielson

Next up in our rankings is a player who scouts have in all different spots on their draft board, Nate Danielson. He’s not the most exciting prospect of the bunch but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be very valuable to the right team.

The 6’1 184 pound center was one of the top players in a stacked Western Hockey League with names like Bedard, Benson, and Savoie. While his team, the Brandon Wheat Kings, had a rough season, the team captain had himself a pretty productive season on the stat sheet.

Pre Draft Rankings

No. 5 by Corey Pronman

No. 7 by Central Scouting (North American Skaters)

No. 7 by Mckeen Hockey

No. 12 by Sportsnet

No. 22 by Scott Wheeler

Statistics

What’s to like?

The best thing about Danielson’s game is his playmaking abilities. His very good at carrying the puck up the ice, letting the play develop in front of him, and then making the smart play. Had he played on a better team with more offensive talent, I think his assist and overall points would be much more eye popping.

As far as his shot goes he is much more of a quality shooter than a volume shooter. He only averaged about 3.5 shots per game but managed 33 goals this season, with a 13.5 shooting percentage.

It’s not just his offensive abilities that make him a highly touted prospect but he has very strong defensive abilities as well. He has good instincts and a long reach which allows his to disrupt plays and break up passing lanes.

What’s not to like?

There’s not really a lot of Danielson’s game not to like, instead I think its more about improving the aspects of his game thats already there. He is a good skater but has a bit of an awkward stride that could be cleaned up.

Additionally I mentioned his strong shot which personally I think he should use a bit more. He’s very good at finding the high danger areas and getting quality shots, however he may not have the time/ space to find those areas of the ice at the next level. As the saying goes “its never a bad idea to put the puck on net”.

How would he fit in the Flyers system?

Like the entire team the center situation is a little blurry at the moment. No one really knows what Sean Couturier will be when he makes his return, Kevin Hayes status as a Flyer is very much in the air, and we don’t quite know yet what we have in Morgan Frost and Noah Cates. He’s a player I see John Tortorella liking very much as he is always in good position defensively, and doesn’t really make bad plays in the offensive zone.

There’s no doubt he needs some time in the minor leagues to fine tune his game figure out exactly who he is. I think Danielson projects as a very good middle six player, in Flyers terms, maybe like a Scott Laughton just with more offensive talent.

Can the Flyers actually get him?

I do believe Danielson will be there for the Flyers to draft him, should they wish to do so. The scouts are all over the place when it comes to his ranking but most of them fall between the 7-14 range, with a few outliers. Danielson will be a very solid NHL player, but while I think he has a safe floor, his ceiling is a bit lower than some of the other players in this draft, and I think that’s what keeps him out of the top 10.

What scouts are saying

“He’s a player that can make the perfect passes in tight areas and uses his speed to get around opposing defensemen. While he comes in as one of the more underrated top prospects in this draft, he has a deceptive release that makes him a dangerous player from any area in the offensive zone. Don’t count him out as a possible top-10 if he can improve on last year’s results.” – Andrew Forbes, The Hockey Writers

“He’s a well-rounded center who has a lot of NHL traits. He has the high-end skill and hockey sense to make a lot of plays inside the offensive zone, and also has the NHL body and skating ability to make you think he will be able to make those kinds of plays at higher levels. Danielson can drive the play and be relied on in any situation due to his brain, feet, and compete down the middle. He’s a potential top-two NHL center.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic

“He’s a pro-sized, hardworking pivot who can skate and excels in driving through the middle of the ice, pushing tempo, and playing with energy. Danielson plays a well-rounded two-way game, is a proficient penalty killer, wants to make a difference in all areas when he’s on the ice and blends good overall skill with his effort. While his game doesn’t have the dynamism of the other kids in this loaded WHL class, most scouts project Danielson as an everyday top-nine NHL center. I’d like to see him go past effective and really take over more, but he makes his fair share of plays, he’s a sub-.500 team’s leading scorer, and it does feel like he has middle-six centre written all over him.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Just one addition to the poll today, and after mentioning him a few times already in these articles while talking about some of his NTDP teammates, we’re finally here to talk about Gabe Perreault on his own.

Perreault has put up massive offensive number as part of that loaded top U.S. NTDP line with Smith and Leonard. He is a very skilled and intelligent winger who can make a ton of positive things happen inside the offensive zone. Perreault makes highly creative dekes and passes with the puck at a high rate, both off the perimeter and in small areas. His puck game is NHL power-play quality, but the debate with him is whether as a smaller winger without great speed is will he score in the NHL? I think because he competes enough, showing a willingness to get and create around the net, it will translate. – Corey Pronman, The Athletic

Who should be No. 14 on the Community Draft Board?

Previously on the 2023 Community Draft Board…