For the second year in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs went into the NHL Entry Draft and made a first-round selection that left a good chunk of fans asking “Who?”. It happened with Easton Cowan in 2023, to which he quickly showed fans why you need more than the ability to search a name on EliteProspects to properly assess a player, and it’s possible we could see Ben Danford head down that same road.

Born in Madoc, Ontario, a small town about 2 hours east of Toronto that boasts a population of just over 2000 people, Danford is a 6-foot-1 right-handed defenceman who might not have the highest ceiling of some of the players available at the time but plays a style of game that’s very attractive to coaches and has room for valuable growth with the right development. He played junior hockey for the Quinte Red Devils, serving as captain in his final season before making his debut for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)’s Oshawa Generals in 2022-23. His team quickly picked up on his intangibles, both from a hockey and a leadership perspective, and he was elevated to a new role in both contexts. He was used in Oshawa’s top-4 for much of the 2023-24 season and also served as an alternate captain despite only being in his second season. His offensive game didn’t blow anybody away in the regular season, with only one goal and 33 points in 64 games, but like Cowan did last season, he turned things on offensively in the playoffs with four goals and ten points in 21 games.

The Leafs have one of the weaker prospect pools in the system, with the weakness primarily shining through on defence, and even more specifically, on the right side. Topi Niemela is the only prospect who boasts legitimate NHL potential from the right side of the back end at this point, and he’s a smaller, puck-moving type. Danford dialled in on the defensive aspects of his game early on in his career, and he’s at the point where he’s strong enough in that sense that any offensive intangibles that develop later in his career are icing on the cake. His skating is one of his calling cards, which is an encouraging sign for a defenceman who’s already 6-foot-1 and likely has some more room to grow. Combine that with an already-mature defensive game, an offensive game with room to grow, and good physical play, and there’s real potential for him to be an important player for the Leafs down the line.

TLN’s own Nick Richard did an extensive report on Danford when he signed, and these are some of the things he had to say.

To further back up the maturity claims, Richard also had this to say about him.

For the blue-collar fans who further want something to look forward to regarding Danford – I’d encourage you to check out a totally-serious scouting report on Danford’s off-ice intangibles written by our own Filipe Dimas. And, by off-ice intangibles, I mean the fact that he grew up a Leafs fan, hails from a small town in Ontario and comes from a blue-collar family. No, literally. His father owns an excavating company and Danford grew up operating heavy machinery. For a fanbase that values tough, defensively strong, heart-and-soul players just as much if not more than the skilled types, can you think of a more perfect match? Oh, and did I mention he grew up a Leafs fan?

From Filipe’s article: “The one knock that the collective uncles of Ontario may have on Danford is his karaoke choice being Sweet Caroline, a song synonymous with Boston sports. While nobody can be perfect, there’s sure to be at least one weathered classic rock fan hoping that Toronto’s first-round pick decides to pivot to Rush’s Tom Sawyer as his song of choice, especially if the Maple Leafs decide to implement custom goal songs for each player by the time Danford makes it to the show.“

It’s ok, Ben. Nobody’s perfect. If he ever ends up being a reliable, top-4 defenceman like his ceiling would suggest, I doubt fans will be thinking about his choice of karaoke music.

Overall, there’s lots to like about Danford’s game. I wouldn’t expect to see him suiting up for the Leafs for another three years at minimum but with a breakout season in Oshawa this coming season, that could change in a flash. Nobody was talking about Noah Chadwick as someone who would be a Leaf eventually when the Leafs selected him, but his offence took a gigantic step forward last season and now you’d be hard-pressed to find a Leafs top-1o prospect list without him in it. Danford has the potential to be in the top 3 on this list next season, and with the way he progressed in 2023-24, don’t be shocked if that potential becomes a reality.