The Detroit Red Wings are searching for offense early in the 2026-27 NHL season, and Nate Danielson is part of that conversation.
Detroit sits at 1-3-1 after a second shutout loss on Saturday night, when Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler stopped all 30 shots he saw in regulation and overtime. Fowler then shut the door again in the shootout, turning away all six Red Wings shooters, with his final save coming against Danielson.
Through five games, Danielson has one assist and is averaging just under 10 minutes of ice time per night. He made the roster out of Training Camp and the preseason, but the production has not followed yet.
That’s the next step the Red Wings want to see.
"Danny has come in, and he's done what we thought he'd do; he made the team. We expected him to make the team," Todd McLellan said.
"And now, he's gotta take it up a notch, I'd say. He's got to perform at a higher level, or else we're expecting too much from him."
Danielson has heard that message before. During the 2026 Prospects Tournament, Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson said he wanted Danielson to be more selfish with the puck and shoot more, a point Danielson acknowledged after practice on Monday.
"I think I could probably shoot a bit more," Danielson said after practice on Monday. "I think probably, depending on who I'm playing with, I could definitely create some more O-zone time and get in front of the net a little more and create some more opportunities that way."
McLellan said Danielson is dealing with a rotating cast of linemates on the fourth line, including Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Mason Appleton, Carter Mazur, and Sheldon Dries. That shuffle, he said, has made it tougher for Danielson to find the kind of rhythm that comes with playing beside the same forwards.
Still, McLellan’s bottom line is clear: Danielson has to start producing more offense. The Red Wings selected him ninth overall in the NHL Draft, and they want that skill to show up more often.
"He's had to deal with some tough things that aren't his fault, but overall, we'd like to see him pick it up and contribute a little more offensively," McLellan said. "It's what he's been able to do in the past; we expect that here."
Danielson’s track record in the minors shows why the bar is where it is. He appeared in 18 games with the Griffins in 2025-26, scoring three goals and 12 assists before a season-ending injury in mid-February. The season before that, in his first full AHL campaign, he played 71 games, scored 12 goals, and added 27 assists.
Known as a defensively responsible center, Danielson is being asked to do more than just hold his own away from the puck. Detroit wants more on the scoreboard, and it wants it sooner rather than later.
The Red Wings next face the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. ET.
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