Nate Danielson, the only Detroit Red Wings player on the team with NHL experience, used the prospect tournament to get a head start on training camp.
Having not played a game in half a year, Danielson's two-game appearance was a huge boost to the 21-year-old former first-round pick.
"I think it'll definitely give me a little bit more leg up and and just kind of get back in that game shape a little quicker," Danielson said after picking up an assist in the Wings' 3-2 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Belfor training center inside Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 15. "I'm confident in myself and just want to go out there and play my game and not really worry about all that other stuff."
Danielson assisted on Noah Dower Nilsson's
game-tying goal with a minute to go in regulation.
Rough goings
Danielson suffered a stress fracture that derailed his year in mid-February, leaving him sidelined through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. It was a disappointing finish to the 2025-26 season. Danielson, drafted at No. 9 in 2023, had such a good camp/exhibition season last fall that coach Todd McLellan said he headlined the list of prospects with a chance to make the Wings' opening night lineup. Then came a wrist injury, postponing Danielson's debut until Nov. 9, after a stint with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
When Danielson struggled to make an impact – he had seven points and a minus-7 rating in 28 appearances – he was demoted in early January. He finished with three goals and 12 assists, and a plus-7 rating, in 18 games with the Griffins in 2025-26.
Showing growth
Danielson's limited action prompted the team to include him in the prospects tournament. "It's just to feel the bumps out there, the physical play, the intensity," Griffins coach Dan Watson, the bench boss for the three-game tournament, said. "It's been seven months since he last played a game. So for him to get those types of reps, get experience with some pressure on him, all that benefits him.
"I think where he's grown is his mental toughness. Going through an injury like that, missing the better part of the last half of the season – to get through that, to come out stronger, I think that's to feel healthy, to feel like he's ready to go. I think that's going to help him. Don't worry about his play. That's going to take care of itself. He knew what he needed to work on come the summertime, which he did, but I just think the mental toughness side of it, which is a big part of the game right now, he's going to be on the better side of that."
Chance to claim a job
Danielson is a highly responsible two-way center – if anything, the Wings have urged him to be willing to take a few more chances offensively. The fact he can be trusted by coaches – Danielson was on the ice after the Wings pulled Trey Augustine for an extra attacker in the final minutes of regulation – is one facet working in Danielson's favor, but so is the fact he plays center, a position where the Wings lack depth. He can also play wing, and his versatility will help his case once main camp begins on Thursday.
"I want to come into camp and definitely earn a spot," Danielson said. "Ultimately my goal is to be an impact player in the league this year and be someone who contributes."
Two goals and three teeth
Defenseman Justice Christensen, signed to a contract with the Griffins in April, scored on a one-timer at 13:12 of the second period, and again with 1:46 to play in overtime. "He's got a great shot," Watson said. "We saw that for his first goal. He can skate well. He won a race for the second goal. He kind of does a little bit of everything, and so we're excited for him. We're excited to see how he translates into professional hockey, especially with us and GR. He's willing to do some of the dirty work when needed."
Christensen said that, "I was happy to be able to find the back of the net and get the one in overtime felt good for sure," he said. He also did the dirty work helping out a teammate when defenseman Carter Hicks, a free-agent invitee, left during the third period, beelining for the tunnel after taking a puck to the face. Christensen picked up the loose teeth with his glove and skated to the bench for a handover to a member of the team's support staff. "I picked up three teeth off the ground," Christensen said.
Watson said Hicks, "is going to have to see the dentist, let's put it that way."
Contact Helene St. James at Hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' Nate Danielson ready to make impact after injury bug
