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

[Da Mash]

Just a thought but I think the leafs had a few players targeted at their original pick and the Habs took one of their targets right before their pick.

Damn Habs had a great first rd IMHO

Then the leafs traded down and had others they liked but their pick got taken right before they picked in Emery.

So they reached a little as they didn’t want to lose Dandord

 

[SprDaVE]

Stay on topic and talk about Danford. The endless comparisons and downwards spiral arguing other picks and players is tiresome.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

This kid is pretty much EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

I really hope he works out. Of course I once had high expectations for Liljegren too. But the crushing disappointmemt that Liljegren became won't stop me from jumping on the Danford bandwagon.

All aboard to pound town.

They should just use every pick on someone like him. You can never have enough hulking defensemen who aren't afraid to throw the body around. 1RHD is also the hardest position to fill.

The Leafs haven't had a good one since Kaberle.

Who, like Brodie, wasn't even an actual right shot. The bar has been set pretty low for this kid. All he's gotta to do is be better than Dion Phaneuf or Ian White and the fans will love him.

Hell, I like him already, and the only things I kmow about him is that he's 6'2" and plays RHD.

Go Leafa Go!!!

 

[Trapper]

This kid is pretty much EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

I really hope he works out. Of course I once had high expectations for Liljegren too. But the crushing disappointmemt that Liljegren became won't stop me from jumping on the Danford bandwagon.

All aboard to pound town.

They should just use every pick on someone like him. You can never have enough hulking defensemen who aren't afraid to throw the body around. 1RHD is also the hardest position to fill.

The Leafs haven't had a good one since Kaberle.

Who, like Brodie, wasn't even an actual right shot. The bar has been set pretty low for this kid. All he's gotta to do is be better than Dion Phaneuf or Ian White and the fans will love him.

Hell, I like him already, and the only things I kmow about him is that he's 6'2" and plays RHD.

Go Leafa Go!!!

He’s 6’2 everyday. Sounds good.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

i do find it interesting how some on this board get triggered any time a fan of team may question a move the team makes , do you believe to be a true fan you have to blindly support/defend every move your team makes ?

No, I don't blindly support every move. Not sure where you got that from?

I simply think the pick/player is trending fine, unlike you. That's what these discussion boards are for.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

Just a thought but I think the leafs had a few players targeted at their original pick and the Habs took one of their targets right before their pick.

Damn Habs had a great first rd IMHO

Then the leafs traded down and had others they liked but their pick got taken right before they picked in Emery.

So they reached a little as they didn’t want to lose Dandord

based on what Treliving said, sounds like Danford was the primary target all along. Just took the calculated risk of moving down, getting an extra pick and still getting their guy.

"He's a real intelligent player, real competitive guy. A right-shot defenceman. He's a guy our staff was really focused in on, and that's why we traded down. Took a chance," Treliving told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on the broadcast.

 

[Roo]

Seems like a solid prospect, albeit one we prob could have got if we traded down again. No complaints though, I trust their scouts.

Not sure if it’s been said, but he’s a big shot blocker. Looks like a Tanev type, with really good skating and maybe some offensive ability that hasn’t been seen yet. In his interviews you can tell he prioritizes D. should be the captain for the generals next year.

 

[robertmac43]

Safe pick. Should make a solid NHLer at some point down the line but it will likely take time

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I like big heavy D. It’s a little late for this core’s era, but he might good in the one.

This

 

[Da Mash]

Watching the draft …it just didn’t fall like the leafs hoped. Some teams get lucky and have players fall into their laps.

I just think the leafs had some targets they hoped would reach to them and it never happened.

NHL draft is a crapshoot anyways especially after the 1st rd

 

[Dayjobdave]

based on what Treliving said, sounds like Danford was the primary target all along. Just took the calculated risk of moving down, getting an extra pick and still getting their guy.

"He's a real intelligent player, real competitive guy. A right-shot defenceman. He's a guy our staff was really focused in on, and that's why we traded down. Took a chance," Treliving told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on the broadcast.

I agree. They had a Danford sweater ready to go for him. I like that.

Kid looks like a gamer. We can use those. Limit the number of show ponies.

 

[Legion34]

He’s 6’2 everyday. Sounds good.

He’s actually 6 1.5 every day according to the combine

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

“Defensively, Danford is an absolute rock. He is nearly impossible to beat one-on-one with his excellent mobility and good reach. His gap control is superb and he has a clear understanding of when to play aggressively to take away space. He blocks shots. He clears the crease. He consistently wins races and battles in 50/50 situations. He has great defensive instincts and an active stick. He projects as a steady top-four presence, paired with a more active offensive partner”

This, and his skating, think we have a player here. Risky pick I suppose, but he sure checks some boxes.

Looks like exactly what they need assuming he can pan out so I don't see the problem with this pick. They can't keep picking offensive stars and trying to fill in the defensive gaps with aging veterans. At some point, they need to develop a shut-down defenseman in-house like all the other top teams have. What do they have to lose trying this?

 

[Da Mash]

based on what Treliving said, sounds like Danford was the primary target all along. Just took the calculated risk of moving down, getting an extra pick and still getting their guy.

"He's a real intelligent player, real competitive guy. A right-shot defenceman. He's a guy our staff was really focused in on, and that's why we traded down. Took a chance," Treliving told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on the broadcast.

That’s great to hear and GM’s will always support their decision. And it’s great the scouts loved him as I do believe in Wes.

It just felt the draft didn’t fall like they hoped

JMHO

 

[Mess]

If the Leafs identified Solberg enough to heavily scout him and take him out to eat to get to know him and still passed on him, they learned something about him they didn't like.

This wasn't them just being dumb

Not the key point as discussed yesterday .. Leafs only made 3 draft selections last year 2023 due to the picks being used as currency by the past GM. Over the course of the past 3 drafts 2021-2023 Leafs made the least draft selections of ANY NHL team.

As mentioned ... Dubas had already traded away Leafs 2nd rounder (Ryan O'Reilly) & 3rd rounder (Colin Blackwell) in this draft class leaving only a 1st and then 4th, which means Leafs only had 1 pick in top 100+ players,. Dubas also had already traded away Leafs 1st rounder next year (Jake McCabe) to fuel past Leaf teams, in fact Leaf have no 2nd (Nick Ritchie), 3rd (Ilya Lyubushkin) nor 4th (Noel Acciari) either in 2025 already nor 2nd in 2026 (Sam Lafferty). Treliving has inherited a scorched earth of picks dealt away many years into the future already.

Treliving has taken a new approach of protecting and making 1st round picks and even attempting to replenish the prospect pool with trading back to replace lost picks.

When you have among the leagues highest AAV contracts then its vital to building Cup competitive teams to have these cheap offsetting ELC contracts, through strong drafting and developing. Leafs plan on attempting to insert more youngstgers into their NHL roster on their ELC contracts to help offset the CAP HELL the Leafs have been living in, to provide that quality depth internally.

Yesterday's trade back move should not be viewed only as passing on #23 Stian Solberg, but replaced by #31 (Ben Danford) & #58 (TBD) in and 2 for 1 impact on Leafs prospect pool, in what could be referred to as damage control from past transgressions.

 

[aingefan]

Sounds like a RH Jake Muzzin, which would be an awesome outcome.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Not the key point as discussed yesterday .. Leafs only made 3 draft selections last year 2023 due to the picks being used as currency by the past GM. Over the course of the past 3 drafts 2021-2023 Leafs made the least draft selections of ANY NHL team.

As mentioned ... Dubas had already traded away Leafs 2nd rounder (Ryan O'Reilly) & 3rd rounder (Colin Blackwell) in this draft class leaving only a 1st and then 4th, which means Leafs only had 1 pick in top 100+ players,. Dubas also had already traded away Leafs 1st rounder next year (Jake McCabe) to fuel past Leaf teams, infact Leaf have no 2nd (Nick Ritchie), 3rd (Ilya Lyubushkin) nor 4th (Noel Acciari) either in 2025 already nor 2nd in 2026 (Sam Lafferty). Treliving has inherited a scorched earth of picks dealt away many years into the future already.

Treliving has taken a new approach of protecting and making 1st round picks and even attempting to replenish the prospect pool with trading back to replace lost picks.

When you have among the leagues highest AAV contracts then its vital to building Cup competitive teams to have these cheap offsetting ELC contracts, through strong drafting and developing. Leafs plan on attempting to insert more youngstgers into their NHL roster on their ELC contracts to help offset the CAP HELL the Leafs have been living in, to provide that quality depth internally.

Yesterday's trade back move should not be viewed only as passing on Solberg, but replaced by #31 (Ben Danford) & #58 (TBD) in and 2 for 1 impact on Leafs prospect pool, in what could be referred to as damage control from past transgretions.

I'm hopeful this is our revenge on the Ducks for the Biggs for Gibson and Rakell move a decade ago. They draft a bust and we get 2 studs

 

[thewave]

Not the key point as discussed yesterday .. Leafs only made 3 draft selections last year 2023 due to the picks being used as currency by the past GM. Over the course of the past 3 drafts 2021-2023 Leafs made the least draft selections of ANY NHL team.

As mentioned ... Dubas had already traded away Leafs 2nd rounder (Ryan O'Reilly) & 3rd rounder (Colin Blackwell) in this draft class leaving only a 1st and then 4th, which means Leafs only had 1 pick in top 100+ players,. Dubas also had already traded away Leafs 1st rounder next year (Jake McCabe) to fuel past Leaf teams, infact Leaf have no 2nd (Nick Ritchie), 3rd (Ilya Lyubushkin) nor 4th (Noel Acciari) either in 2025 already nor 2nd in 2026 (Sam Lafferty). Treliving has inherited a scorched earth of picks dealt away many years into the future already.

Treliving has taken a new approach of protecting and making 1st round picks and even attempting to replenish the prospect pool with trading back to replace lost picks.

When you have among the leagues highest AAV contracts then its vital to building Cup competitive teams to have these cheap offsetting ELC contracts, through strong drafting and developing. Leafs plan on attempting to insert more youngstgers into their NHL roster on their ELC contracts to help offset the CAP HELL the Leafs have been living in, to provide that quality depth internally.

Yesterday's trade back move should not be viewed only as passing on Solberg, but replaced by #31 (Ben Danford) & #58 (TBD) in and 2 for 1 impact on Leafs prospect pool, in what could be referred to as damage control from past transgretions.

Its certainly that in part. Maybe we score big with that 58. Who knows its luck of the draw after all. The first two rounds are well scouted out.

 

[crump]

Did I hear Gavrikov as a comparable in terms of style on the broadcast? Solid quick 2-way shot blocking d man. Can play both sides of the ice too. So he is skilled in that respect, Once he fills out and his hitting becomes a bigger part of his game, room to improve on his shot, could be a good add.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

How This Affects the Maple Leafs’ Plans​

For the Maple Leafs, Danford feels like a perfect selection, even if it may not be the most exciting option they could have taken. The Maple Leafs desperately needed to add a quality right-shot defenseman to their prospect pool, as this is a very clear position of need for the team.

With Danford, they got a perfect player who has sound defensive abilities and projects to the NHL in three to five years. This might not be the sexy, home-run pick people were hoping for, but it’s a move that makes the Maple Leafs better in the long term, even if it might feel like a slight reach at pick 31.

Ben Danford has been the top defenceman on the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Oshawa Generals in 2023-24. In just his second year in the league, he has developed into a great defender with some offensive ability as well. A very traditional two-way defenceman who will always take the defensive play over offence, the Generals are a much better team with him playing at his best. His leadership is another quality that the team appreciates. He makes regular appearances with the media and is one of the first players to stand up for his teammates.

Well said.

 

[Metroid]

View attachment 889265

Forward Dman bash bro combo!

 

[Mess]

Ben Danford Scouting Report​

(courtesy of the 2024 Blackbook)

A smooth-skating, right-shot presence on Oshawa’s blue line, Ben Danford provides high-level leadership and competes while patrolling the blue line. Putting up 33 points in 64 games this season for the Generals, Danford was relied upon for his defensive game and excellence on the penalty kill while being a sturdy second-year leader on a young Generals team.

Danford’s ability to kill penalties is one of the best among draft-eligible defenders in this class. His awareness, ability to get the puck out of the zone, and consistent shot-blocking make him a must-have on the ice when down a man. He positions his body well and uses his stick to cut off passing lanes from his side of the ice, jumping onto loose pucks behind his net and deep along the wall. He is constantly aware of where everyone is on the ice and can cover off either side of the ice as a right-shot defender. He can play aggressively and take away space from puck carriers to rush passes, or he can play patiently and clog lanes to keep the puck to the outside. The biggest plus for Danford on the penalty kill is his willingness to get in front of the puck and block shots. Teams have avoided his side of the ice while he is killing penalties, and watching him take away space on his side of the ice, you can see why. His penalty-killing skills are translatable to the NHL, and we could see him becoming a strong defense-first penalty-killing specialist.

On the defensive side of the puck, Danford closes gaps well and can defend against fast opponents. As a rush defender, he is better against speed players than he is against physical players driving to the middle through him. He does defend both well, but as he progresses and plays against stronger and faster players, we are more confident in his abilities against speedier players as opposed to physically dominant forwards because of his backpedaling ability skating backward and his body positioning to box them out. Off the puck in coverage, Danford can close gaps quickly, and for a defender who is not large or one who possesses great strength, he plays well physically along the boards. He has the ability to rub players off the puck and transition it up the ice well, and with the puck on his stick in his own end, he can create space for himself and give himself more time to make decisions because of his backward cuts and smooth backward strides.

Offensively, he gets off a strong shot from the point, which finds its way through traffic in front of the net but at the same time is kept at a good height for tips from his men in front. He collects bad passes well and can get off his shot with a good release and power. For a more defensive defenseman, Danford likes to be aggressive and join the rush but is not much of a shooting option. He accelerates quickly with the puck, but it is too quick for his hands to keep up, and he can bobble the puck before he gets the opportunity to make a play. When patient with the puck — whether at the blue line looking for a shot, on breakout passes, or taking shots from the point — Danford is at his best. He does need to put more on his passes at this point in his development, but as he gets stronger, this should not be a concern.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Pretty good example of why people (Wes Clark) get paid to scout, while your "buddy" sits on his couch playing GM.

Was it "lolololololol" that gave it away?

 

[Mess]

Its certainly that in part. Maybe we score big with that 58. Who knows its luck of the draw after all. The first two rounds are well scouted out.

Lots on quality depth in the 2nd round ... Remember Matthew Knies was taken #57OA in his draft class a few years ago now.

Really looking forward to see who Leafs double down with at #58 with Danford on a manufactured pick that didn't exist 24 hours earlier.

 

[Leaf Fans]

If the Leafs identified Solberg enough to heavily scout him and take him out to eat to get to know him and still passed on him, they learned something about him they didn't like.

This wasn't them just being dumb

Solberg is a great prospect no doubt, and fans will love his physical play, but they won't love his positiong generally and especially when he goes out of his way to make a big hit when it costs his team. Danforth will likely be a steady defensive presence that be just a solid guy besides he is a fantastic skater.