Prospect Info: [2024] 1st rd selection - #31 OA - RD, Ben Danford - Oshawa Generals, OHL (6′2″/191lb) --Signed to ELC
- Thread starter uncleben
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ULF_55
Moderator
They only have 1 defenseman putting up points.
Marrelli 3rd. rounder, missed the draft last year by a couple weeks.
Namikaze Minato
Registered User
Shame you're all giving up on this kid already but with out track record of defenceman in the first round (Any round?), I get it.
He already has a professional contract so that makes him ineligible for NCAA regardless of a transfer agreement, AFAIK.
We hit on the last two first round D we drafted...
HockeyVirus
16/34/88/91/44 - Pathetic losers
- Nov 15, 2020
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Not sure what point you are trying to illustrate here. Are the other dmen first round NHL draft picks? I just checked a few 2006 birthdays and I don't see any.
If you are taking a guy with your first round pick you should at least see them as solidly NHL dmen who can compete for a top 4 spot eventually. He is simply not tracking for that.
Namikaze Minato
Registered User
And as you can see, they are thriving on our top pair with our last good defensive selection before them, Morgan Rielly....
I was a big fan of Timmy but we all wanted more for both of them for sure. Thats not to downplay them becoming competent NHL players but we obviously wanted more.
Just because a player was traded doesn't mean they didn't develop... Liljegren seems to be doing well in San Jose and Sandin is a regular D in Washington.
Namikaze Minato
Registered User
ULF_55
Moderator
Well, this discussion is strictly about points, just showing they only have 1 defenseman putting up any points on that team.
He's actually their 2nd. leading scorer, 1 point behind their leader, in both goals and points.
Looks like Columbus have a great pick here.
Drafted by Columbus Blue Jackets
- round 3 #86 overall 2024 NHL Entry Draft
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
Isaac Nootin
Registered User
- Sep 28, 2017
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Not an option. Danford has already signed his ELC, so he's not NCAA eligible.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
ULF_55
Moderator
Have they come out with the rules in writing?
Right now a number of NCAA ?divisions? are allowing players to get paid as student athletes. Effectively, they are professional athletes. College Athletes Can Now Be Paid. But Not All of Them Are Seeing Money. Is That Fair? (Published 2023)
Namikaze Minato
Registered User
Yeah its actually going to be interesting to see how it works, so far with other sports (My most knowledge being CFB) players are getting their money finally but obviously none of them are able to sign with a "professional" team or league.
Will they still be amateurs, signed to 'amateur contracts' or is it going to open up a different avenue for other sports to draft NCAA players and leave them there to develop (and complete their education for f*** sakes!)
The London Knights are playing Oshawa fmthis Friday night.
Real good test to see what we have.
Real good test to see what we have.
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Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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I guess we will see about this Wes Clark parting gift, but early results have been underwhelming. But then again the Ben Danford player type isn’t always sexy.
Yeah we’ll def have to see how it progresses. But he could still be a player. He’s a more defensive guy. I think if one of Danford, Chadwick or Cade Webber can hit and become a reliable player that would be amazing.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
One way or the other, he's going to be a long term project. Not going to come anywhere close to sniffing a debut until he's well over 22.
I think Clark has earned the benefit of the doubt for now, but it's another reason why I'm not particularly attached to this years 2nd or next year's 1st
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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Well, defensive defensemen do take longer and really benefit from being more physically mature in their mid 20s than a kid drafted fresh in the first round. So Danford is definitely a long term project.
That said, I would be more conservative about keeping our picks. The next wave of Knies, Minten, Cowan is largely stitched together of late firsts and seconds. So I would prefer to keep them and the pipeline flowing at a healthy rate than rush to empty the tank.
Alternatively, we could always just trade Danford too if there's something we don't like about him.
Hard to ever feel extremely excited or disappointed about a “safe” pick. It was whatever then and kind of remains that way now. These types usually develop in their early 20s. I did feel there were better options before the trade down and after tbh
there are tons of dime a dozen replacement level players that can be plugged in with little difference.
I was a huge Lilly believer. But he got outplayed by Timmins. Everyday d isn’t the goal.
The only recent potential impact player under dubas etc is knies.
Hopefully we get one in Cowan.
Martin Skoula
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
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I actually like Danford, his skating for his size is really interesting especially how much power he’s able to generate going backwards into erasing someone on the boards, but I still don’t get passing up on Solberg for him.
Flip Lily before the draft for a better pick than the one we got and bundle it with some other scraps to get into the early second, run Solberg-Danford for a decade.
Flip Lily before the draft for a better pick than the one we got and bundle it with some other scraps to get into the early second, run Solberg-Danford for a decade.
That is what happens when you draft outside of the top 10... it is hard to find impact players.
I still think we had one in Amirov.
What impact players did the Leafs draft in the last 10 years outside of the top 10?
