Ottawa Junior Senators defenseman Devon Daniels is in his second year with the club where he saw an opportunity for himself to be a success. Traded midway through last season from the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Daniels knew he had a chance to perform well with OJS.
“I thought it was a better opportunity to come play in the CCHL, particularly the Junior Sens, because I came to camp here two years ago when I started my junior career. I saw an opportunity to get more playing time,” said the ’98 born defenseman on his move.
Daniels grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, 1,463 kilometers west of the nation’s capital, and 1,855 km east of Brooks. But his strong play not only meant life and hockey experience in multiple provinces, but in another country as well. After attending Thunder Bay’s St. Ignatius High School for two years, Daniels took his education to, and played hockey for the next two years, at Gilmour Academy in Cleveland, Ohio before going to Brooks and Ottawa.
“Moving from Thunder Bay to Cleveland was a little hard, it was the first time I moved away from my parents, but it was nice because I got to live with my whole team. In Alberta, I had another new experience, living with a billet family for the first time, before transitioning nicely here in Ottawa. It’s been a great environment for me, not just as a player, but as a person, trying to succeed then move on to college hockey next year.”
Committed to Erie, Pennsylvania’s Mercyhurst University, Daniels plans to attend next year as a freshman, but is focused on 2017-18 with OJS, his second season with the club. “I’m a veteran, like Cam White and Craig McCabe, and we have to step up. I don’t think my game has changed much from last year to this year, but I’m always working on my skills, my speed and getting shots through on net. I’m also taking on more of a leadership role, even though I’m not officially a Captain or Alternate Captain.”
A valuable player with the work ethic to match, Daniels is a key contributor on both ends of the ice for Head Coach/GM Martin Dagenais’ men; the 6-foot-1, 185 pounder feels his speed and aggressiveness down low are his biggest attributes:
“If there’s a race to the puck, I’m usually the first there; a lot of battles I get into, I’m the one getting the puck or chipping it up. If there’s a battle for the puck on the penalty kill, I’m getting in there with my stick or body, helping to get the puck out. But on offense, I’m good working on the point, doing switches with the forwards, cycles, coming down and getting the puck on the point, walking to the middle to shoot, or pass to my D partner.”
Daniels’ father Colin pushed for him to be a defenseman, a position he has played since atom hockey. “Everyone wants to play forward and score goals, but defense is where you’ll get your opportunities. Just work on it and you can still get points because as you get older, a good puck moving defenseman who can join the rush is always appreciated.”
