McLellan basically said Danielson was going to make the team before he got hurt. Here's what he had to say after last night:
“I’m really happy with all three of the kids,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “We may as well bundle them all up and put them in a package (answer): They’ve all competed from day one until now, they’ve all improved, their confidence level has gone up. The group has been very accepting of them. They believe that the three of them can help the group, which is always a good sign. They’ve opened up some eyes.”
Though McLellan wasn’t revealing any lineup decisions, he was asked what more Brandsegg-Nygård could have done to earn a spot and acknowledged, “not much more.”
It really sounds like and feels like all 3 could make the club or at least a couple of them. Lets not doom too hard yet!
The Red Wings still have two cuts to make to get down to 23, and McLellan cautioned, “what happens on Monday doesn’t necessarily mean that’s going to be what happens on Thursday.” That could involve some possible waiver decisions or players who are sent down but eventually get called back up. That’s something to keep in mind for this week.
But if Detroit does open the season with two, or even all three, rookies, it would certainly be a welcome jolt of enthusiasm — both in the fan base, and maybe even in the dressing room.
“They’re energizing the group right now, really,” McLellan said. “We started Axe in overtime, we put Finnie out in the second pair, and the guys are rooting for them. There’s a little life there that they get excited for them.”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6689906/2025/10/05/red-wings-rookie-trio-preseason-finnie-brandsegg-nygard-sandin-pellikka/