Chris Tanev is getting older and the Maple Leafs already have the perfect prospect to take his place

As Chris Tanev gets older, Toronto will need his replacement soon which is why drafting Ben Danford was the best decision to make given he's a carbon copy.

Chris Tanev is 36 with a contract that doesn't end until he's 40 years old. With injuries piling up, there may be a need to find his replacement sooner than later. Good thing they have Ben Danford auditioning to be the one to step up. His recent performance in the Eastern Conference Finals shows that if they need to quickly find someone for Tanev - he's the perfect option.

Tanev is one of the best shutdown defenders in the league and has been for a long time. Never fearful and always smiling, he's endeared himself to fans and teammates for over 15 years due to his immense heart, defensive acumen and leadership qualities.

But at 36 years old he's not exactly a spring chicken, and with last year's laundry list of injuries keeping him out for all but 11 games; there's concern he may regress. He's incredible when healthy but it's ensuring he can stay that way is the issue.

Ben Danford is a 6-foot-2, right-handed defenceman with the same defensive identity that made Chris Tanev so valuable

If there's a chance that the veteran defender does end up getting hurt again or starts to regress given his age, then there's going to be a need for the Maple Leafs to replace him ASAP.

Good thing they already drafted his replacement in 2024.

Ben Danford, a player who didn't get a lot of attention given his quiet and reserved style of play has absolutely been a stud this past season. After captaining Oshawa to start the year, he was dealt to Brantford in a blockbuster deal and helped them secure top spot in the OHL.

Though he's out of those playoffs, he's firmly a part of the Toronto Marlies playoff journey, and his actions during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals shows that in a pro setting he's already got incredible awareness and anticipation:

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Danford anticipated a Wilkes-Barre 2-on-1 perfectly and put out one of the cleanest stick sweeps I've personally ever seen. There was zero contact on the forward, and with a simple flick his wrist was able to poke the puck away and gather control.

That's extremely Tanev-esque as you'd often see the defender being anchored in the middle of an odd-man rush only to come up with the puck:

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If that wasn't enough, take a look at what Danford can do offensively and if he can work on his playmaking a bit more he could be a dangerous two-way threat:

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Using all of his speed, Danford was able to weave passes with ease, move through defenders, and find space. That's more than what Tanev can give offensively, so you're getting quite the package as a replacement.

Ben Danford still needs a year in the AHL but that lines up perfectly with Tanev's timeline

While Danford has been solid, there have been growing pains and he could use a little more seasoning. His skating is already elite, he's showing a lot more confidence offensively and the defensive side is as strong as ever.

But that can get even better if he's with the Marlies next season. A full pro season would give him exposure to both the good and bad that pro hockey can offer and he's likely going to get premium minutes in the top-four.

That means that he may not be ready until 2027-28 which really isn't a bad timeline. Tanev at that point will be 37 going into age-38 meanwhile Danford will be 21 going into age-22 at the same time, so if he progresses as well as he's expected to - you're getting over 15 years younger for the same skillset.

Bonus too? He's going to be an extremely cheap option compared to Tanev, and opens up money for future deals.

He's still got some conditioning to do, and Danford has to learn the ins and outs of being in the big time. This isn't kids playing against kids anymore, there are genuine NHL talents buried there just waiting to expose him.

Though if Danford can keep his momentum up and his head anchored on his head as he has, then not only will Toronto get Chris Tanev's replacement soon, but he could be an even better overall player when all is said and done.

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