Ben Danford may already be past the point where rookie showcase games tell Toronto much of anything.
The Leafs drafted him for the stuff that doesn’t always jump off the page: gap control, skating, and the ability to shut things down. That profile looked promising when Toronto took him in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, but the picture has changed since then.
What once seemed like a bottom-pairing projection has grown into something more. Danford is now being viewed as more of a top-four type prospect.
That shift matters because his résumé has moved well beyond the usual rookie-showcase standard. Danford went from junior hockey straight into a 24-game Calder Cup run with the Toronto Marlies, and he earned significant ice time along the way. He also brings World Junior experience and has already played meaningful AHL games at the professional level.
So the question in training camp isn’t really whether he can handle the moment anymore. Toronto already has that answer to some degree. The better question is whether his defensive game is now too advanced for the peer group he’s about to face in Gatineau.
Danford is a shutdown defenseman, plain and simple. He is not there to pile up offense or wow anyone with point totals.
That’s why the Leafs should not be judging him by production in rookie games. If he looks comfortable there, it may simply mean the competition is no longer the right measuring stick.
At that point, Toronto’s next real test for Danford should come against NHL and AHL forwards in training camp. That’s where the organization will learn more about where he stands now.
His benchmark has changed. It’s no longer, “does he belong?” It’s whether this level still challenges him.
In Other News...
Leafs Prospects Are Back And Toronto Fans Have A Few New Reasons To Watch
The Maple Leafs are back in rookie-tournament mode this weekend, with their young players set to get an early-stage look against the Senators and Jets. For Toronto fans, it is the first real chance in months to track the next wave of prospects in a game setting, and to start sorting out which names might push their way into the conversation as camp approaches.
Around the league, the offseason continues to move in quiet but notable ways. John Klingberg and Connor Ingram have officially retired from professional hockey, while the PWHL added another layer of visibility by landing a TV rights deal with Scripps Sports ahead of its first All-Star Game in Toronto next season. For hockey fans in this market, it is a reminder that the calendar is turning fast, and there will be plenty to watch before the Leafs even hit the main stage. [Read more 🡒]
Three Maple Leafs Prospects Are Running Out Of Time To Break Through
Training camp is set to tell the Maple Leafs plenty about where Ben Danford, Jacob Quillan and Luke Haymes stand in the organization. Danford, taken in the first round in 2024, enters the season with a real chance to make noise because of an injury on the roster, while Quillan arrives after getting into 23 NHL games last season and now has only a one-year deal to show he can stick.
Haymes is in a different spot, but the pressure is just as real. The college free agent has put together strong AHL work and has been viewed as a possible middle-six forward, yet he still does not have a clear NHL path in front of him. For all three, this camp is less about development in the abstract and more about whether they can turn promise into an actual role before the season gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Blue Line Insurance Comes With One Big Roster Problem
Nick Blankenburg is headed to Maple Leafs training camp on a professional tryout, a move that gives Toronto a little extra cover on the blue line as the club waits to see whether Chris Tanev will be ready to open the season. The PTO gives the Leafs a low-risk look at a defenseman who can help ease some of the uncertainty around their backend depth while the veteran recoveries continue to be monitored.
The catch is the usual one for Toronto: turning a tryout into a standard NHL contract is not as simple as liking what a player brings on the ice. Salary cap pressure and limited contract slots could force the Leafs to make another move before Blankenburg can be signed, which leaves this as more than just a camp invite and less than a straightforward addition. [Read more 🡒]