Ben Danford’s name missing from the Marlies’ lineup on Sunday stood out immediately, especially with no injury reported and Chris Tanev also out for Toronto.
The Toronto Marlies played the Hamilton Hammers, but Danford wasn’t on the ice. On the surface, that raised eyebrows, because there wasn’t an obvious injury explanation attached to his absence. It could have been nothing more than a night off for the rookie as he continues through his first professional season after making the jump from the OHL.
Still, the timing makes the whole thing worth watching.
Tanev went down in Toronto’s Saturday game against the Avalanche, and while the injury looked harmless enough at first glance, the Maple Leafs can’t afford to shrug off anything involving his health. At the very least, it doesn’t sound encouraging. If Tanev has to miss time, Toronto loses a key piece on the blue line, and the uncertainty around Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s health and production only sharpens the problem.
That’s where Danford starts to enter the conversation.
He could be a logical stopgap if Toronto needs another defender, sliding into the third pair as part of the seven-defender setup the Maple Leafs used against Colorado. At minimum, he would give the club another layer of protection while they sort out the bigger issue. And given what he projects to be down the road, there’s an argument for getting a first look now.
That said, any move like that has to come with a short leash.
Danford is still very early in his first pro season and his only real experience has come in the postseason, which is a different animal entirely. If Toronto does bring him up, the best path would be a tightly controlled role with sheltered minutes and softer matchups, letting him use his speed and aggression in small doses rather than asking for too much too soon.
The Leafs also don’t have a clean opening waiting for him. Troy Stecher is already in the mix, Nick Blankenburg is now there too, and both are right-handed shots.
If Danford gets the call, Toronto would likely have to play him on his off side or juggle time among the defensemen already handling that responsibility. Either way, it creates more movement on the back end.
And Toronto can’t simply overlook the mistakes if they happen. A rookie is going to make some, but if the errors turn costly and start ending up in the net, the leash has to come quickly.
Whether this turns into an NHL opportunity for Danford is impossible to say right now. But if Toronto is looking for a practical answer while trying not to burn through its assets too fast, his name suddenly feels a lot more relevant.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Enter A Crucial Week With Too Much Still Unsettled
A split on the road trip gave the Maple Leafs some usable offensive moments, but it also left plenty of the same questions hanging as they head into a three-game week that could say a lot about where this group stands. Jim Hiller is still shuffling the lineup, especially in the top six, while trying to sort out defensive pairings and manage the strain on the goaltending situation, all with divisional games at home and a trip to Utah on the schedule.
One of the more interesting threads is Easton Cowans role, because the young winger keeps getting opportunities in the mix as the staff looks for a combination that actually clicks. There is also some added pressure on the blue line after Chris Tanev left Saturdays game against Colorado with an upper-body injury, another reminder that the Leafs are still trying to stabilize multiple areas at once rather than simply fine-tune a team already in place. [Read more 🡒]
Former Leaf Suddenly Has Fans Reconsidering That Toronto Trade
Steven Lorentz is making it a little harder for Maple Leafs fans to shrug off that summer trade. The former Leaf has opened the season with the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus AHL affiliate, and his recent run has brought fresh attention to the kind of depth and energy he can still provide. For Toronto, the deal that sent him to the Blue Jackets was part of a larger reshuffling of pieces, and it already feels like the sort of move that invites second-guessing when a familiar face starts producing elsewhere.
Lorentzs early work has also raised a more immediate question for Columbus: whether he can force his way into the NHL picture sooner rather than later. His skill set has always pointed toward a role player who can help in a useful way, and a strong start only strengthens that case. For Leafs followers looking back, it is another reminder that trades are rarely judged on day one, and sometimes the lingering value comes from the player who quietly keeps making noise after the move. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Pricey Trade Battle For Simon Edvinsson
Simon Edvinssons next step in Detroit has become a real source of intrigue around the league, and Toronto is among the teams keeping close tabs. The Maple Leafs have reason to pay attention because the young defenseman fits a clear need on the blue line, bringing a stay-at-home style that is built more on defensive reliability than flash. With the Red Wings and Edvinsson reportedly far apart on an extension, the possibility of a trade has quickly turned a contract issue into a broader market watch.
For Toronto, the question is no longer just whether Edvinsson could be available, but what kind of return Detroit will demand if it decides to move him. The interest is not limited to one rival, and that kind of competition tends to drive the price up fast, especially for a young defender with his profile. If the Leafs want to stay in the race, they may have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for the chance to add him to a group that has been searching for more steadiness on the back end. [Read more 🡒]