Red Wings select center Nate Danielson ninth overall in 2023 NHL Draft

DETROIT -The Detroit Red Wings today selected center Nate Danielson in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Danielson captained the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings during the 2022-23 season and ranked among the team leaders with 33 goals (1st), 45 assists (1st), 78 points (1st), 38 penalty minutes (T10th), 13 power play goals (1st), 38 power play points (1st), three shorthanded goals (1st), five game-winning goals (T1st), 244 shots (2nd) in 68 games. His 78 points were the most by a Wheat Kings player since the 2018-19 campaign. The 6-foot-2, 186-pound forward was named to the WHL East Division's Second All-Star Team and competed at the 2023 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Danielson also averaged over a point-per-game during the 2021-22 campaign, tallying 57 points (23-34-57), a plus-18 rating and 34 penalty minutes in 53 games, in addition to three points (1-2-3) in six postseason contests. Danielson made his WHL debut with Brandon in 2020-21, logging 15 points (3-12-15), a plus-one rating and eight penalty minutes in 24 appearances. In total, Danielson has compiled 150 points (59-91-150), a plus-seven rating and 80 penalty minutes in 140 WHL games.

A native of Edmonton, Alb., Danielson notched 10 points (6-4-10) and 10 penalty minutes in five games with the Red Deer Chiefs under-18 squad prior to the start of the 2020-21 WHL season. Danielson competed for Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep in the Canada Sport School Hockey League during the 2019-20 campaign, logging 60 points (26-34-60) in 27 games, along with five points (1-4-5) in two postseason contests. He played with the Red Deer Rebels AAA program from 2017-19, amassing 85 points (35-50-85) in 65 games at the under-15 level, along with 23 points (10-13-23) in 14 playoff matchups. On the international stage, Danielson won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, recording three points (2-1-3) and a plus-four rating in four games.

Detroit currently has another selection in the first round (17th overall) and eight picks for the second day of the 2023 Entry Draft: three in the second round (41st, 42nd and 43rd), one in the third round (73rd), one in the fourth round (117th), one in the fifth round (169th), one in the sixth round (169) and one in the seventh round (201st).

Nate Danielson, Center

Born Sep 27 2004 -- Edmonton, ALTA

Height 6.02 -- Weight 186 -- Shoots R