Inside Wheeler’s Shocking Summer 2025 NHL Prospect Rankings: Who’s the True Future Star?
Photo:
Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images
DET
2024
Tier 4
RW
Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images
2024
Tier 4
RW
His counting stats in junior never popped when you contextualized them with his late birthday and near-2022 draft eligibility. He has some pedigree, though. Danielson was an MVP of Alberta’s U15 AAA circuit and the No. 5 pick in the WHL. He was a point-per-game player and one of Brandon’s top producers four seasons ago. He was named captain of the Wheat Kings for his draft year, and after a bit of a slow start, he came back into his own and finished with 33 goals and 78 points as the best player on a bad team. Two years ago, he was an effective bottom-sixer for Canada at the World Juniors and the counting stats began to come more after a move from Brandon to Portland, but even then he didn’t light up the league (post-trade he had 41 points in 28 regular-season games, an impressive 100-point pace over 68 games and a noteworthy uptick but production that still would have landed him third on the Winterhawks in scoring and outside of top 10 in the WHL). Last season, he was consistently good for the Griffins, logged 19-20 minutes per game in the AHL as a 20-year-old rookie, contributed in all areas, and was probably owed a little more than his modest production indicated. But that can only be a talking point for so long, too, and eventually you have to score as a top-10 pick.
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