Danielson is a speedy center and captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings. He led his team in scoring by posting 33 goals and 45 assists in 68 WHL regular season games. This was not good enough for his team to get to the playoffs. The one thing that stands out about Danielson the most is his really fast top speed. He is great at controlled zone entries similar to Dylan Larkin. This ability added to an ideal NHL frame at 6'1" and leadership intangibles are one of the many reasons he will be gone early in the first round. His powerful wrist shot is another strong asset of his. His shooting ability, as a comparable, reminds me of Tavares in the way he uses it. He is really good at getting his body ready to fire the puck and when he does pull the trigger, there is plenty of power behind it. I wouldn't call him electric in the offensive zone, but he isn't afraid to do the dirty work and get in the corners. Based on what I have heard from a multitude of amateur sources, Danielson could go in a range from 5-16. He is truly the mold of a player NHL teams covet. While I see his intangible qualities as admirable, I am still a bit skeptical about his overall upside and ranked him closer to the 15 spot.
As a skater, Danielson gains a lot of speed using his cross-overs with his long legs. His legs are very powerful making him very dangerous in transition. His above average acceleration and top speed will give him plenty of breakaways in the NHL and are one of the biggest attributes Danielson has. When it comes to his East to West skating, this is where Danielson struggles. He has an awkward stature and can have trouble at times when he has to rotate his hips quickly to face different directions. This type of issue will cause him to consistently have trouble working on the power play. Most of the spots on the power play force you to move fast due to the constant pressure from NHL defenders. Since its a mixed bag, I gave him an average grade for skating.
From other independent scout reviews I have read, I have gotten the vibe they see Danielson as a two-way center. While I do see him give an honest effort day in and day out in both ends, I don't view his defensive hockey IQ as anything above ordinary. I am not saying he is bad in his own end, but he doesn't stand out to me as above average in that area. I think it is very fixable with a couple of adjustments and do see a future for him as a two way center. His playmaking is another area of his game that I just think is mediocre. I mean he just led his team in points, so whats not to love? With Danielson, he is such a good north-south skater, that you would expect him to make more plays with the toolbox. I see him force plays towards the net that aren't there too often for my liking. He is a good passer, but the offensive decsion making evens out to an average grade. With all the minor flaws I see in his game, I am happy to say they are very fixable and need small tweaking or improvement.
Below is his Elite Prospects page
Elite Prospect's page for Nate Danielson3/4 Above Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
2/4 Average
3/4 Above Average
Below are some sources to look at for visual demonstration;