Junior career A
Mistawasis First Nation aboriginal, Daniels was nicknamed "Chief" by his teammates due to his full-blooded Cree Indian background. At the age of 17, Daniels started his hockey career in the
Western Hockey League (WHL) playing
left wing for the
Kamloops Blazers in 1986, and continued to play in the WHL for the
New Westminster Bruins and then the
Regina Pats until 1990.
NHL career Daniels was selected with the 136th pick in the
1989 NHL entry draft by the
Hartford Whalers. Known as a power forward who could put the puck in the net and protect his teammates, Daniels made an immediate impression by accumulating nineteen minutes in penalties during his debut. He was later claimed by the
New Jersey Devils in the
1997 NHL Waiver Draft, where he played for two years before retiring from the NHL. Daniels played in 149
NHL games, totaling 8 goals, 12 assists, and 667 penalty minutes before retiring in 1999. == Personal life ==