Brandon teammates Bjarnason and Danielson relishing draft year experience
For Carson Bjarnason, some post-practice research recently provided a lot of clarity.
And in his case, it became another positive in a road that’s been full of twists and turns that always sees him defy the odds.
“I honestly wasn’t sure what it was at first,” the Wheat Kings goaltender said after he was one of 11 CHLers that received a ‘Grade A’ ranking from NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. “I found out during practice and wasn’t sure what it meant so when I did my research after the fact it was a big thing for me.
“I was really happy and proud of myself but at the start I definitely wasn’t expecting it.”
It’s easy to see why he might have that mindset. Bjarnason went undrafted in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. He wasn’t chosen to represent Canada at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
But he’s now a projected first-round selection at the 2023 NHL Draft.
“Not being touted to be in the Western League at all, it was a lot of motivation to prove everyone wrong and to prove I can be a successful goaltender in this league,” he said. “Seeing that ‘A’ was definitely a confidence-booster.”
Of the 11 players given a ‘Grade A’ rating, seven ply their trade in the WHL, including Bjarnason’s teammate Nate Danielson.
“It’s obviously a very talented and skilled draft class so it’s nice to be recognized but the biggest thing is to motivate yourself to stay as an ‘A’ rated prospect and be drafted as high as you can,” Danielson said.
The pair are looking to add their names to what is a deep history between Brandon and the NHL Draft. Over the past decade, the Wheat Kings have seen 19 of its players drafted and have had at least one selection in eight of the last 10 drafts with 2018 and 2022 being the exception.
Current teammate Jake Chiasson (EDM) was chosen in the fourth round in 2021 while Braden Schneider (NYR/2020), Ridly Greig (OTT/2020), Nolan Patrick (PHI/2017), Ivan Provorov (PHI/2015), John Quenneville (CHI/2014) and Ryan Pulock (NYI/2013) were all first-round picks over the last decade.
“Brandon seems to have a great history of players that have been drafted and play in the NHL,” Danielson said. “It’s a great program we have here with the development and everything we have off the ice as well as on it.
“They’ve been able to produce a lot of talented [players] and good NHLers so I’m looking to add to that list.”
Bjarnason, who won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, is 7-5-2 this season with 2.61 GAA and a .925 save percentage. Danielson, who is co-captain alongside Nolan Ritchie, has notched eight goals and 17 points in 19 games for the 7-10-2 Wheat Kings.
The pair are a big part of the Wheat Kings’ immediate future as they seek a spot in the postseason for the second straight year. However, there’s no doubt that not only the draft in June but an invite to the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Jan. 25 is also top of mind.
“It’s obviously something that not everyone gets to do … so I’d be super honored to be able to go,” Bjarnason said of the Top Prospects game.
“[But] our coaches say it all the time: ‘the more team success you have the more individual success you will have.’ Just making sure that we’re working as a team and having team success first. That’s a big thing for Brandon.
“Once you play for the guy in front of you your own success will come about. That’s the key.”
Tickets for the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game are available by clicking here.