Ben Danford Ready to Turn the Page After Setback as Leafs Prospect Eyes Crucial Camp
Photo credit: NHL.com
Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford is ready to show everyone why he's got a lot of hype surrounding him and is wanting to move on after a serious setback last season.
Suffice to say, if the Maple Leafs wanted to ensure they had a solid defensive replacement down the line when guys like Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson retire, they certainly picked one up in 2024: Ben Danford.
Though he's not going to be that offensive force that Toronto probably needs right now, but looking forward to the future it's going to be imperative that the team has both sides of the defense locked down.
He'll be in the spotlight at this year's this year's Prospect Showdown, a great sign considering he ran into a serious roadblock last year. During camp, he took a hit from invitee Marshall Finnie and ended up with a concussion; keeping him out of the Showdown and putting his 2024-25 season in question.
How Last Year's Injury Shaped Ben Danford's Development
But that setback hasn't deterred Danford at all, if anything it's motivating him.
Speaking to reporters during his media availability, the young defensive prospect was honest in his thoughts about last year and how he intends to prove himself this fall:
Yeah, it was tough. I mean, I've never gone through an injury like that, that length of time being out, especially like a time like training camp, my first training camp.
But I learned from it. There's guys that that's their job, is to finish checks and play hard, so I just have to be aware of those type of players.
But I learned from it. There's guys that that's their job, is to finish checks and play hard, so I just have to be aware of those type of players.
Good to hear that Danford has no hard feelings towards Finnie, and it didn't set him back too much, guiding the Oshawa Generals to a second straight OHL Championship Finals appearance; but lost to future teammate Easton Cowan.
In 61 games with the Generals last season, Danford put up 25 points (5 goals, 20 assists) and 68 PIM while adding five points in 21 playoff contests.
Taking what he learned last season, coupling it with his attentiveness and passion; not to mention he's been working with some of the best defensive minds in the game, the future seems bright.
Why This Camp Could Be Pivotal for Danford's Maple Leafs Future
It's going to be a big litmus test for Danford and all he's learned from the Maple Leafs veterans this summer, and if he can translate that into a strong camp it's going to set him up nicely in the future.
He's extremely unlikely to make the team this season but could be a big part of things in the next year or two if he continues his current growth.
Proving to both Craig Berube and Brad Treliving that he can be a part of their future plans especially with such an aging defensive roster, it's only going to accelerate his jump to the NHL.
Plus if he can take a strong camp and translate that into yet another great season with Oshawa, and perhaps actually win a title this time around; it's going to almost ensure his spot much like Easton Cowan's.
So we've gotta see how the Prospect Showdown turns out. Danford is going to be in a premium spot on the top pairing, so he'll have plenty of chances to impress, and could fight his way onto the team come next season.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 12 | 602 ANSWERS Ben Danford Ready to Turn the Page After Setback as Leafs Prospect Eyes Crucial Camp Do you think Ben Danford will make the Maple Leafs roster in 2026-27? | ||
| Yes | 333 | 55.3 % |
| No | 269 | 44.7 % |
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