Prospect Info: [2024] 1st rd selection - #31 OA - RD, Ben Danford - Oshawa Generals, OHL (6′2″/191lb) --Signed to ELC

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Leafs always pick someone that trends up big in the second half + playoffs of their draft year.

 

[sxvnert]

Tyler Biggs was first thing that came to my mind, especially considering there was transaction Anaheim prior to that pick and Oshawa.

Stuart Percy

"we had two first round picks!"....Burke

 

[Leaf Fans]

He better end up better than Solberg, Greentree and Emery.

He can skate and defend better than them.

 

[capfit9]

if he develops into that, that would be fantastic.

maybe even Josh Manson

 

[PromisedLand]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806887665482318103

 

[Noah]

Brock Otten did a good breakdown of him in the pipeline podcast recently. Episode from June 21

 

[HomelessPepper]

Holy ****, Tre has such a hardon for Tanev that he just drafted Tanev 2.0!

 

[Leaf Fans]

Whose board was it off? Because some scouts had him this high.

It wasn't the Leafs board. They obviously had him at at least 31.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806887665482318103

Good thing he's gonna play for us and not be a scout

 

[PromisedLand]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806887243300090126

 

[AuraSphere]

I've wanted this type of player in our system for a long, long, time.

More happy with the pick every passing minute

What about Solberg? He's literally the same type of player but more physical?

The leafs wined and dined him and then rekt him

 

[93LEAFS]

Not hard at all. You need stay at home Dmen in the top 4.

Not if they can't get the puck forward. Pretty much every half decent top 4 D-man now has a decent to good transition game. Otherwise they just end up hemmed way too often.

 

[Noah]

Pretty telling that they had a jersey with his name on it. They really wanted him and knew they could get him.

 

[Leaf Fans]

They took a player who was pretty universally ranked in the 50-100 range by scouting services.

A couple had him in the 30's, a couple lists had him 70+ but generally he's listed in the 50's. Bob's rankings based on scouts consensus had him 54th.

I think it's kind of hard to argue that he wasn't a reach in the first round based on the available data whether you like the pick or not.

It is easy when you factor in that the Leafs have their own rankings and those are the ones that matter to the team. They even had a sweater with his name on it at 31.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Stuart Percy

"we had two first round picks!"....Burke

Stu to his credit gave us 10 games where we thought we had something at least. He looked slick an poised, but the skating wasn't quite there.


Danford looks like Gudbranson, which I guess to have that career for a 31st pick is fine. But I can't get excited for it.

 

[thusk]

a RHD Marc-Edouard Vlasic... for me he's the kind of d he can become and if he become that kind ofnplayer, everybone here will be happy .

The sexiest pick are not always the best and late in 1st round, it's more type of project than etablish player so you take guest with who you're thinking with develop the most

 

[Mess]

Treliving likes Big, mean and mobile Dman that play defense first ...

Here was his 1st chance to put that imprint on the Leafs going forward.

Moving back to recapture lost picks due to the scorched earth draft pick approach of his predecessor also a welcome change..

PS.. I thought the Leafs were going to take EJ Emery the Dman that went right in front of them however.

 

[SprDaVE]

I just figured they would go with the bigger RHD with more offensive upside vs a Brodie type of player. Hopefully one of he or Gill are there at 58 but doubtful as you mentioned.

They always surprise me in recent drafts so I'm sure I'll be surprised at 58

 

[francis246]

What about Solberg? He's literally the same type of player but more physical?

The leafs wined and dined him and then rekt him

Solberg switched to defense not too long ago, he's a forward converted to defense. He switched to defense at 14 years old. He's an interesting prospect

 

[JSn0w93]

I didn't see much of Danford, but was one of the only Oshawa players that stood out positively when I watched the OHL finals.

 

[Leaf Fans]

What about Solberg? He's literally the same type of player but more physical?

The leafs wined and dined him and then rekt him

More physical, but does not skate and read the play as well as him, but much more physical for sure.

 

[WillNy29]

lol f*** this picture always makes me crack up

 

[NJG]

They took a player who was pretty universally ranked in the 50-100 range by scouting services.

A couple had him in the 30's, a couple lists had him 70+ but generally he's listed in the 50's. Bob's rankings based on scouts consensus had him 54th.

I think it's kind of hard to argue that he wasn't a reach in the first round based on the available data whether you like the pick or not.

OMG who cares stop crying and whining about it, they picked who they liked and that's that.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806887665482318103

When you can pick a guy licensed to operate heavy machinery you just have to.

 

[KMNRB]

Some of you may be a little too excited over this clip.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1721653273222869493

The way he sacrifices his body blocking shots looks like tanev in this year's playoffs.