The Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time in getting their two top prospects some action to start the preseason. Easton Cowan and Ben Danford, along with other prospects, some bottom-of-the-roster veterans, and a few Toronto Marlies, hoping to impress Leafs management, made the trip to Ottawa to take on the Senators in the preseason opener for both teams.
Cowan's play, with two previous preseasons under his belt, and his junior eligibility expired, will be closely monitored as he looks to impress and land a full-time job with the Leafs. Danford, injured early in last year's training camp, is quietly making an impression with his play over the last couple of seasons.
Since being drafted 31st overall by the Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Danford has put together an impressive development trajectory and is starting to turn heads. The 19-year-old defenseman stood out in the Leafs' first preseason game, earning notable praise from coach Craig Berube.
For a franchise long criticized for its inability to draft and develop homegrown defensemen, Danford's progress is offering a rare, and much-needed, glimmer of hope.
Leafs coach Berube impressed by Danford's performance
After the Maple Leafs opened their preseason with a 4-3 victory over the Senators, Berube offered his thoughts on Danford. "I thought Ben Danford played a good, solid hockey game. It is not a flashy game by any means, but it is just about the first pass, defending well, and playing a hard game. He was pretty much mistake-free. It was impressive," Berube said via Maple Leafs Hot Stove.
"He was pretty much mistake-free. It was impressive."Leafs' coach Craig Berube on Ben Danford
Berube wasn't the first noteworthy person to commend the young defenseman's play. Toronto Marlies coach Jon Gruden was complimentary of Danford's play during the recent prospects' tournament. Former NHL general manager and current TSN analyst Craig Button suggested Danford should make Team Canada's world junior roster thanks to his stellar play during this summer's development camp.
Danford's progression since being drafted is a positive development for the Maple Leafs. He, like Cowan, was an unheralded pick and has impressed with his play thereafter.
Not since Morgan Reilly was drafted 5th overall in 2012 have the Leafs had a homegrown defenseman make an impact. Timothy Liljegren, now with the San Jose Sharks, and Rasmus Sandin, now with the Washington Capitals, both former first-round picks by Toronto, could never crack the top four and were traded away.
The timeline for Danford sets up well for the Leafs. He doesn't face the pressure that Cowan does of making the roster imminently (this year or next), to help fill a void. The Leafs have a veteran defense core, with most signed to long-term deals.
Rielly, Chris Tanev, and Jake McCabe have five years remaining on their contracts. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is signed for three more years. Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit each have two years left. The Maple Leafs can be patient with Danford and, ideally, have him fill the spot of a fading veteran in two to three years.
The right-handed, stay-at-home, defensively adept Tanev can provide mentorship for the Leafs' top defensive prospect as he begins his NHL journey. Berube's quote after the Senators' contest could easily have been an apt description of the veteran defenseman's game.
It's still early, and Danford has a long road ahead before cementing a spot on the Maple Leafs' blue line. Yet, a combination of steady development, a mature on-ice presence, and early praise from a no-nonsense coach like Berube suggests he might be the exception to the Leafs' long-standing struggles with developing defensemen.
If Danford continues on this path, Toronto fans may finally have reason to believe that a homegrown solution on the back end is not just possible, but inevitable.