Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan explained why rookie forward Nate Danielson was sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins and what he'd like to see from him in order to earn a potential future call-up.
The centennial campaign for the Detroit Red Wings has been highlighted by the presence of numerous rookies on the roster, three of whom made the team out of Training Camp and the pre-season.
While Michael Brandsegg-Nygård was eventually returned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, both Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie have remained with the club. Additionally, Nate Danielson (2023 Round 1, ninth overall) was called up and has appeared in 28 NHL contests.
However, after a particularly dry offensive stretch in which he recorded zero points over his last 11 games, Danielson was made a healthy scratch for Detroit’s recent 5–3 win over the Ottawa Senators and was subsequently sent down to the Griffins.
In explaining why Danielson was sent back to the Grand Rapids Griffins, head coach Todd McLellan cited a combination of encouraging flashes and the need for continued offensive development, while also reiterating that he likely would have begun the season with the Red Wings had it not been for an ill-timed injury.
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"The Danny decision - when Danny was in Training Camp, he had a hell of a camp, and we talked about him likely starting with our team coming out of it, but the injury set him back," McLellan said following Wednesday's practice. "So, he went down there and played, and up he came."
"When we brought him up, we hoped that things would go real well and that would be fine, but we weren't sure if he was ready or not," he continued. "We've given him a good run when he's had some really good nights, and then there are other nights where they've just been okay, which is typical of a young player, but we want him to continue the offensive trajectory that we think is in him."
In the 28 games that Danielson has played in so far at the NHL level, he's tallied twice while adding five assists. He also had what would have been a highlight-reel goal taken away (just minutes after his first NHL goal against the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 18) after the play was deemed to be offside.
McLellan emphasized the need for Danielson to regain his confidence and hopes that time with the Griffins will not only result in heavy minutes played but also help unlock his offensive potential further.
"We couldn't have put him in spots right now on our team where he could really push for that, and if his confidence in those situations is wavering, we've got to get him back to where he can be comfortable and confident," he said.
"He'll play a lot of minutes in Grand Rapids. We want him to work on the intensity of the offense part."
Danielson skated in 71 games with the Griffins last season, tallying 12 goals while adding 27 assists. He also scored once in three postseason games. Prior to being called up to the Red Wings in November, he tallied a goal with four assists in four games with the Griffins.
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