Jeff Daniels is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a left winger. He was born on June 24, 1968, in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Daniels began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Oshawa Generals in 1984. He played for the Generals for four seasons, from 1984 to 1988, and was a key player in their Memorial Cup championship win in 1987.
After his successful stint with the Generals, Daniels was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the sixth round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Penguins in the 1988-89 season and played for them until 1991. During his time with the Penguins, Daniels was known for his physical play and his ability to play on both the power play and penalty kill.
In 1991, Daniels was traded to the Hartford Whalers, where he played for three seasons. He was a consistent scorer for the Whalers, and in the 1993-94 season, he scored a career-high 24 goals and 47 points. Daniels was also known for his leadership qualities and was named an alternate captain for the Whalers in the 1993-94 season.
After his time with the Whalers, Daniels played for several other NHL teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, and Nashville Predators. He also played for several minor league teams, including the Cleveland Lumberjacks, Milwaukee Admirals, and Grand Rapids Griffins.
Throughout his career, Daniels was known for his work ethic and his ability to play a physical game. He was also a versatile player who could play both left wing and center. In total, Daniels played in 425 NHL games, scoring 16 goals and 36 assists for a total of 52 points.
After retiring from playing, Daniels became a coach and has had a successful coaching career. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Admirals in 2003 and was later promoted to head coach in 2008. Daniels led the Admirals to the Calder Cup championship in the 2010-11 season.
In 2011, Daniels was hired as an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators, where he worked for four seasons. He then became the head coach of the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, in 2015. Daniels led the Checkers to the Calder Cup championship in the 2018-19 season.
Overall, Jeff Daniels had a successful hockey career as a player and has continued that success as a coach. He is known for his work ethic, leadership qualities, and ability to play a physical game.
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