Ben Danford’s path to the Toronto Maple Leafs looks crowded right now, but the door to the NHL still appears to be open in 2026-27.
The problem is simple: Toronto’s blue line already has a pileup. Emil Andrae and Troy Stetcher are battling for the sixth spot, Nick Blankenburg has been brought in on a professional try-out, and that leaves little obvious space for a 20-year-old prospect trying to force his way in. For the moment, Danford’s opening-night chances with the big club look slim.
Even so, the Maple Leafs are clearly not forgetting about him. Former Maple Leafs assistant coach and current Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan believes Danford has already done enough to show why he belongs in the conversation.
“I don’t think it’s his age (20),” said Sullivan, “but he’s gotten those deep (AHL) reps he needed against really big guys. He doesn’t need much, it’s whether there’s room and can he be better than the sixth (D) on the Leafs.”
Danford got his first taste of the American Hockey League last season, when he joined the Toronto Marlies for 16 playoff games during their Calder Cup run. Every one of those appearances came against stronger competition than he saw in the OHL, and he handled it well enough to leave a mark. He chipped in three points and brought the physical edge that helped him stand out in junior hockey.
That experience should matter this season. With the Maple Leafs’ depth chart crowded, Danford’s best route may be patience rather than a straight shot onto the roster. The more realistic view is that he begins in the AHL and works his way into the picture as injuries or performance create openings.
That still puts him near the top of the organization’s call-up list. Outside of Andrae, Stetcher and Blankenburg, William Villeneuve and Danford are the names to watch if Toronto needs help on the back end. Villeneuve, 24, brings more experience and is coming off a 30-point season with the Marlies, but Danford is right there behind him.
What happens next will depend on how Danford starts the year in the AHL. The Leafs and Marlies coaching staffs will be watching closely, and the organization is clearly high on his development. If he brings the same physical game and offensive touch he showed in the OHL, his NHL debut could come before long.
For now, the logjam is real. But so is the sense that Danford has already put himself on the track to see NHL action during the 2026-27 season. With a Calder Cup already in his pocket, he has one more credential the Maple Leafs value as they try to build toward a deeper playoff run.
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Still, Hiller sounded just as focused on the gaps as the positives, especially the teams skating without the puck, an area that can quietly decide preseason games and, later, more meaningful ones. He also addressed Sergei Bobrovskys playing-time management, another reminder that these exhibition games are about more than the final score as the Leafs sort through how their pieces fit and what needs sharpening before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]