Leafs' representative at NHLPA Rookie Showcase is no surprise

The young prospect who will be representing the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase has been chosen and it's no surprise.

The full list of prospects and potential NHL rookies who will be participating at the NHLPA's event that gathers a whole lot of the next generation of the league onto one ice surface, was announced on Tuesday. Representative the Maple Leafs is none other than Oshawa Generals defenseman and 2024 first-round pick, Ben Danford.

The event will take place on Sept. 3 in Virginia and is basically an opportunity for one, single rookie from each team to all get together and be available for pictures, quotes for some stories on the NHLPA’s website, and just generally hang out on the ice together wearing their jerseys.

Danford is a perfectly reasonable pick for whoever gets to decide which prospect is going down south. A defenseman with some high draft pedigree as a former first-round pick and someone who will lead one of the best teams in the entire Canadian Hockey League to potentially more glory this upcoming season -- the 19-year-old will be wearing the Blue and White next week.

While it might be just ever so slightly strange that someone with a higher profile like Easton Cowan was not the player chosen to attend this year, it is most likely because the London Knights winger attended last year. It would make zero sense for him to go out there again -- and he might not even be allowed.

While Danford is not the most exciting prospect the Leafs have ever had, he will be among some of the best young players on the planet like Flames prospect Zayne Parekh, and rival OHL defenseman and Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson.

We will soon be seeing the Generals captain all dazzled up at the event that is basically a glorified photoshoot. It's at least the first minor taste of the hockey season coming soon.