USHL: QA with Drew Daniels

There was a time when Sioux City Musketeers winger Drew Daniels just wanted to play college hockey, thinking it probably wouldn't even be NCAA Division I college hockey. But, from playing Junior C with the Brewster Bulldogs and New York high school hockey with Suffern High School, Daniels has gone on to prep star with Kent School, Northeastern University recruit, San Jose Sharks draft pick, and current a USHLer. At each step along the way has been his twin brother Justin, a Musketeer and Sharks pick as well.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey recently had the opportunity to talk with Daniels. The young forward discussed the 2008-09 season and his adjustment to the USHL, his effort to put on some pounds, the differences and similarities between his and his brother's game, his meteoric rise from Junior C to NHL draft pick, skating at Sharks development camp, his commitment to Northeastern, and growing up a Rangers fan.

McKeen's: There are only a few games left in the 2008-09 regular season, which means you're nearing the close of your one and only season in the USHL, which is the plan, right?

Daniels: Right, right. We're slotted to go in (to Northeastern) next year.

McKeen's: So, with almost the entire season to look back on, how do you feel 2008-09 has gone for you personally and why?

Daniels: Coming from prep school, it's definitely a huge jump. We're playing 25, 26 games in prep school. You come out here, and from September until April, it's a grind. Sixty games, playoffs, it's just a toll. You have to really prepare, more so than you ever did playing prep school, only 26 games.

McKeen's: How would you say the 2008-09 season has gone for the Musketeers overall and what has the coaching staff pinpointed as some of the reasons you guys haven't done as well as maybe you could have?

Daniels: You know? We're hot and cold. Some games, we're beating really good teams. We come out of a weekend against Cedar Rapids and win, one of the best teams in the league, or Green Bay for that matter. I'd probably say inconsistency. But, it's a tough season. I know a lot of guys are giving it their all. We're not quitting. Until the end, we still think we have a chance to make the playoffs.

McKeen's: It is still possible.

Daniels: Right. We're trying to salvage everything we can.

McKeen's: And if you make it in, that's really all it takes. You've hit on this a bit already, but tell me more about the biggest adjustments that you face night-in and night-out from prep to the USHL?

Daniels: The depth in this league. Coming from prep school, you have one line with some very good players, maybe two good defensemen, but you're matched up. You're looking for match-ups. You're putting your first line against a third line. Here, you can't really do that. Coming into this league, the coaches really preach sitting over the puck, going hard, finishing your checks. In prep school, you can get away with some of that stuff, being a little faster than some guys, maybe turning from a puck and coming back you can still beat the guy, but not in this league.

McKeen's: What are some of the areas of your game that you've been focusing on improving this year to apply next year with Northeastern?

Daniels: Definitely sitting a little lower in my stance. It's easier to come off hits and you're stronger on the puck. Umm, just finishing my hits and working hard.

McKeen's: I've noticed both you and your brother have pretty good cruising speed, and, as you mentioned, you're sitting a little lower and are a little more difficult to knock off the puck. So, along those lines, what would you say are your strengths as a player?

Daniels: I try to preach two-way hockey. As important as it is to be an offensive player, you've got to come back in your d-zone, help the "d" out. You can't be giving up goals. I try to preach positional hockey and being a smart player.

McKeen's: In a related question, what style of game would you say you play?

Daniels: Coming out of prep school, I thought a playmaker, and try to be a goal scorer. Coming out here, they teach me to be a little more of a power forward, driving the shoulder, driving the net, going F1, finishing the body. Both are roles that I'm looking forward to playing. You have to be able to bring different aspects of your game, whether you're a power forward, a playmaker, or a goal-scorer.

McKeen's: Playing that role this year in Sioux City should be helpful going into Northeastern next year, since most players don't go into college and immediately become first-line forwards.

Daniels: Yeah, for sure, and Northeastern has a great program, a lot of great players. It's going to be tough to play there. But, through hard work, I should be able to get there.

McKeen's: Heading into the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, I saw that both you and your brother were listed around 160.

Daniels: What was that?

McKeen's: You and your brother weighed around 160.

Daniels: Oh, weighed. Right.

McKeen's: I probably should have stated that differently. Anyway, what's your size now and what are some things that you've been doing to bulk up as much as you can during the season?

Daniels: Well, I've actually put on about 10 pounds in-season. I'm about 170 now. I've been really concentrating on what I eat, and working out. They have us in working out pretty regularly. I'm trying to get some legs. Earlier in the week and toward the end of the week, you don't want to tire yourself out, it's a long season, so upper body. In general, I've been hitting the weights and just taking care of my body.

McKeen's: With the eating, what are some of the things you're doing differently in that area?

Daniels: Coming to Sioux City, a lot of meat and steaks and stuff. That's nice. You get a lot more protein.

McKeen's: The area is definitely known for poultry and meat-packing, and you can smell it coming into town.

Daniels: Yeah, my housing family is really good with the meat and the food. It's a little bulkier.

McKeen's: Watching you and your brother at different times during the season, you guys have been on the same line for a lot of the year, but not tonight. Even with that, compare and contrast your games.

Daniels: I think we play a pretty similar style. Maybe I try to play with a little more hitting, a skating game. He's got great vision, he's got great hands, and he makes a lot of plays out there. Growing up, he was usually giving those backdoor passes and I was hopefully burying them. We're pretty similar, but I'd have to say, maybe, that I try to carry a little more power forward, throwing the body more than he is.

McKeen's: I guess one kind of leads to another. Being a winger, it's going to be different for you, but that's probably why he's a center and you're the winger. Then, as I said, tonight, you did not skate with your brother, so who are some of your Sioux City teammates that you feel you've had the most chemistry with?

Daniels: You know? You don't really worry about it. You have chemistry with everybody. We're all buddies. You go out there, you don't worry about who you're playing with, and stuff happens. I've played with Justin predominantly, but they put him with Donnie Hallmark for a while, and he's a good player. You just work with whoever you're playing with. We have a good team, and everybody plays their role and contributes.

McKeen's: When I talked to your brother, when I asked him how someone could tell you two apart, he mentioned the teeth. So, tell me about the incidents that created that.

Daniels: Oh, maybe five games in, behind the net, I kind of tried to get body positioning on a player on Fargo, and he kind of just came up high with his stick, almost like a crosscheck to the face. So, then I got replacements. I got replacements here (points to four front teeth), then I chipped it again. A little bad luck this year.

McKeen's: I guess after the season you'll address that one (one chipped front tooth)

Daniels: Yeah. No rush.

McKeen's: Prior to that, how could fans be able to distinguish the two of you in street clothes?

Daniels: I've always been a little taller, and I think I'm better-dressed.

McKeen's: (Laughs)

Daniels: Oh, it's true. But, I have a scar, and a little taller.

McKeen's: You were a seventh-round pick of the Sharks last summer, and it was your second year of draft eligibility. Was there much interest from NHL teams for the 2007 Draft and what do you think it was that helped you guys make the jump so that you sold Central Scouting a bit on you guys and, obviously, the Sharks, because you guys had decent stats in 2006-07, too?

Daniels: Yeah (to the stats). We came out of, we were playing for Brewster when I was playing back home, and also New York public school hockey, which is (pauses)… not very highly touted. Yeah. So, I guess we were low on the radar. We did have a pretty good 2007 season, but really no interest. I wasn't really worried about it. Coming into that, I just wanted to play hockey, and everything that came is a bonus that you could only dream of.

McKeen's: Maybe the Sharks happened to see you in New York high school, since they drafted Steven Zalewski straight out of there.

Daniels: Right. Yeah, I know he went to Clarkson, and I know he's a New York state kid, but I'm not sure where he played public school. But, I live downstate.

McKeen's: (Chuckles)

Daniels: Yeah, so, Upstate New York is probably much more recruited than downstate.

McKeen's: Could be. I've see Kent head coach Matt Herr quoted as saying both you and Justin were a little raw going into Kent, although talented. So, what were the areas of your game that you felt developed the most while skating for Kent?

Daniels: Matt Herr's a great guy. He was working with us consistently. Skating wise, me and "J" have both been smaller guys growing up, and we kind of hit a growth spurt and were growing into our bodies. Through the skating, he really put the time in, even after practice, before practice, and helped us to get the skating down. He knows so much, just honing our skills. He's a goal scorer, he was teaching us methods to score in the league. He knows so much. He helped us out a lot through skating and skill and positionally.

McKeen's: At what age did the two of you hit that growth spurt? The year before Brewster, or after?

Daniels: Probably, the year in Brewster would be pretty accurate. I was pretty small. I mean, I grew, maybe, six inches one summer.

McKeen's: Wow.

Daniels: Yeah. So, just a lanky kid, growing into the body.

McKeen's: That's quick. As you talked about, you played for Brewster, which was CHA Selects, or was that Premier?

Daniels: Premier.

McKeen's: Yes.

Daniels: Premier, actually.

McKeen's: How did that league compare to Kent and how would you say it helped you with future levels?

Daniels: You know? Being a small kid at the time, although maybe it wasn't the greatest league, there were some older kids playing in it. I was small, I'd avoid people, and I had to learn how to be tough and win some battles. A lot of kids were stronger than me, older than me, tougher than me. It really improved my game playing in that league against the older kids, faster kids. It really helped me to get my toughness and be battle-prepped for prep school. Taking that jump from Junior C to prep school, it really helped me.

McKeen's: How does the pace of play compare between Junior C and prep?

Daniels: My first game (of prep), I was, like, "Wow." Like, "Man, this is good hockey." But, you've got to acclimate yourself the first couple games. It was a big jump, but through the years, developing our skills, you've just got to get the flow going, and that's what we did, and we were able to be pretty successful.

McKeen's: Do you ever think about how in the course of a little over two years you guys went from skating Junior C to being an NHL draft pick and, if so, what are your thoughts?

Daniels: Yeah. It's amazing. Ecstatic. You can't even imagine, coming from Suffern High School, to playing Junior C in Brewster, and even when we went to Kent, we were hoping to move on to college. It's all we ever thought of, and we were even unsure how that was going to play out. So, everything that has come has just been unreal. It's almost hard to explain. We were dreaming of just being able to play college hockey. At that point, it wasn't even DI, we were talking anybody. It's just been great.

McKeen's: Tell me a bit about Draft Day 2008, when you found out your brother had been drafted in the third round by the Sharks, your reaction to that, and then also how you found out you'd been drafted by San Jose in the seventh round?

Daniels: (Chuckles) We actually (pauses), we didn't want to worry about it, so me, Justin, and my dad jumped on a golf course, turned our phones off, no worries, and we just played some golf. Then, I remember Justin getting a call, and he came over and I was, like, "Jay, congrats." That's how we are. I was so happy for him. It didn't even matter about me. I gave him a big hug. It was great. Then (pauses), it seems like we're getting lucky. Both drafted by Sioux City, both committed to Northeastern, went to Kent together, then both drafted by San Jose, which we never thought would happen.

McKeen's: Both you and Justin skated in the Sharks' development camp this summer. What do the Sharks do with their prospects at the camp and what was that experience like?

Daniels: It's a pretty busy day. We're up at 6:00 a.m., we've got practice, we're working out, talking about our diet, we have nutritionists coming in, and a trainer, always stretching. But, the knowledge that the guys have, anybody in the Sharks organization has, is amazing. Stuff that you wouldn't even think of, they're teaching. Even, like, fundamental stuff, how to catch a pass, how to give a pass. The knowledge is just amazing that they have. They love to teach their players everything, and they know so much. So, it was great to get out there and bring back home the stuff that they taught, whether it was skating, we did a lot of skating, and fundamentals that you wouldn't think twice about, like passing, keeping your hands in front of you. They know so much. So that was a great experience. You're walking around the training facility and seeing some big names. Patrick Marleau's in there, Jonathan Cheechoo, and you're like, "Wow. What am I doing here? This is amazing."

McKeen's: Who were some of your fellow Sharks prospects at that camp that impressed you the most and why?

Daniels: Setoguchi was hurt, there, but I watched him a little bit, he was coming out, skating a little, and he's a phenomenal player. He's got a great shot, great skater. Nick Petrecki, he was at prospect camp, he's a good, strong defenseman. Torrey Mitchell, we skated with, who got an injury this year, but he's explosive. You get on the ice and he's just gone. It was an experience out there. To be able to even practice with these guys is an honor.

McKeen's: Torrey's pretty relentless. After last year as a rookie, there'd be games where I was watching the Sharks and I'd be, "Man…but that Torrey Mitchell, there's one guy that's trying real hard." As you mentioned, and hopefully this isn't a touchy subject, but with the drafts, Sioux City drafted both you and Justin and the Sharks drafted both of you, but he went before you in both of those. Any reaction to that? What gives Justin, maybe, the slight edge?

Daniels: He's a great player. I'm not worried about it. It's great for him. I'm so happy for everything that he's achieved. We have a very good relationship. It's not who goes first, it has nothing to do with that. It's just about going out and playing and not worrying about anything else. For every accolade that he achieves, I'm only happy for him. It doesn't matter if he goes before me. It doesn't matter.

McKeen's: Back to the USHL Entry Draft, tell me about your reaction, since he went in the first round and you went in the second, which is plenty high. So, tell me about your reaction on that day.

Daniels: Yeah. We were hoping to be on the same team. We'd been playing together, we're going to Northeastern together, so it just kind of made sense that we wanted to play for the same team, and when that selection happened, it was an unreal feeling to know that I was going to be able to play with my brother again, throughout the years. I know the program here is just phenomenal. They have a history of great teams and great players, and it's been an honor to play in this league and, more so, for the Sioux City Musketeers.

McKeen's: Did you guys have any clue that it might happen that way? That Sioux City was interested?

Daniels: We were talking to a couple teams. Nobody really (pauses), we didn't really know where it was going to fall. We were a little non-committal about the USHL at a point, because we weren't sure if we were going to be on the same team, so we didn't know where we were going to fall in the draft of anything. We were talking to a couple teams, but nobody really told us where we were slotted or that they were planning to get both of us. My dad called and was like, "You guys are both going to Sioux City." It was kind of a crapshoot. We weren't sure where we were going to land.

McKeen's: As we've touched on a few times, you're committed to Northeastern. When did Northeastern start showing interest in you guys, what was the recruiting process like, and what made you decide becoming a Husky was right for you?

Daniels: It just seemed like a perfect fit. We hadn't looked at many schools. It was Dartmouth, I went to Dartmouth, and then I looked at Northeastern. I walked in there and I just knew that's where I wanted to go and I was going to do anything to get there. It was just a perfect fit. There was almost no choice, no choice in my mind that there was any other place that was right for me, that Northeastern was the place to be. Their coaching staff, and just the atmosphere, and it's Hockey East. You couldn't ask for more. It's a perfect fit.

McKeen's: Sure. Hockey East, a Beanpot team, that'll be fun for you guys, and a program on its way back up.

Daniels: And it's close to home, to my family. My family has supported me through all of this, my dad, my mom, and my siblings. I want to be close to home so that they can get up and see my games.

McKeen's: Going back to the very beginning, tell me about when you first started playing hockey and how you got that start.

Daniels: I think we were actually at a public skate, with my mom. One of the skating guards, it was like, "Hey, you guys aren't bad skaters. Why don't you throw some hockey skates on and take those figure skates off?" to join mini mites. So, mom was like, "Alright. Not a bad idea." Then my dad fell in love with it. He's been very influential in helping us throughout this entire process, my whole family.

McKeen's: If I remember right, your dad played football at Michigan State and baseball at Hofstra and you guys end up hockey players.

Daniels: Yeah, he walked on at Michigan State, and then he transferred to Hofstra to play baseball. We just figured we'd play baseball, but it's my mom who kind of started the whole thing. But, my dad fell in love with it, my parents fell in love with it. It was kind of luck, I guess.

McKeen's: Your brother told me that you first were on Long Island and that you guys have skated for a number of organizations. So, if you can and if you're able, list those by age group, the teams you played for prior to Brewster.

Daniels: Prior to Brewster, okay. (Chuckles) I started off on the Island, Suffolk PAL, then I moved up to Suffern, and we played for Snapple Express, now Westchester Express, and kind of the Brewster program, they kind of went under. Then we went to the New Jersey Kings, and then Devils youth, and then back to the Brewster junior league, and then to Kent.

McKeen's: How old are you at these different stops?

Daniels: Ummm, we played three years at Suffolk, a year at Snapple, a year at the Kings, two years at the Devils, and then we played a year at Brewster. So, that adds up somehow.

McKeen's: Lastly, who were some of your favorite players growing up and why, and who are some players today that you'd like to equate to?

Daniels: I'm a huge Rangers fan. I always watched the Rangers. Currently? Or?

McKeen's: Or both.

Daniels: Or both? Yes. Anybody on the 1994 Cup team is up there for me, me being little, but I remember it. My dad was there. Even when Jagr was in town, just watching him play. He's a phenomenal player, a goal scorer. I love Ryan Callahan right now, just a workhorse. He's a New York guy. He's Upstate New York, but, still, he works hard. I like [Sean] Avery. Even though he's a little around the edges…

McKeen's: (Laughs)

Daniels: … but he's not a bad guy to have on your team. I don't know who, maybe, I frame my game after. Maybe like a [Vincent] Lecavalier. I'm kind of a big guy, I try to put some pucks in the back of the net, make some plays.

McKeen's: Your brother is Rangers fan also, but you guys started off on Long Island. So, why not the Islanders?

Daniels: The Fish Sticks?

McKeen's: I guess that's true. When you guys were little, they had the Gordon's fish sticks guy on the logo, or Stan Fischler.

Daniels: Yeah, the Fish Sticks. Yeah, never really happened for us, just always loved the Rangers. My dad was a Rangers fan. We didn't really have a choice in the matter.

McKeen's: (Laughs)

Daniels: "That's it. You're in my house. You're a Rangers fan."

McKeen's: Probably a good idea, and certainly not a Devils fan. There's no crossover between those two.