Ben Danford takes the ice for the first time as a Toronto Maple Leaf
Today Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick Ben Danford took the ice for the first time after being selected by the team.
The Toronto Maple Leafs added to their defensive prospect pool in a big way during the 2024 NHL Draft selecting Ben Danford in the first-round. The defenseman out of the Oshawa Generals of the OHL got the first chance to play in front of Maple Leafs fans during development camp today.
Since being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs fans have gotten reactions from many different sources on their newest prospect. One coach in the OHL described Ben Danford as mean and reliable.
«He's mean. Whoever takes this guy is getting someone who will be a 22-minute-a-night guy in a few years.»
Even Maple Leafs 2023 first-rounder and OHL rival Easton Cowan was complimentary of the style of game Ben Danford played when being asked about him.
"He blocked a lot of (Kasper) Halttunen's shots... Not sure I'd want to do that."
After development camp Ben Danford will likely return to the OHL and play once again for the Oshawa Generals alongside top-five pick Beckett Sennecke. His development over the next year will be crucial to the success of the Maple Leafs in the near future.
| POLL | ||
Will Ben Danford be worth the first round pick the Toronto Maple Leafs spent on him by the end of his career? | ||
| Yes | 580 | 79.8 % |
| No | 147 | 20.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
