The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool is one of the thinnest in the league, and the lack of any high draft picks over the last 8 years is slowly catching up to them.
Despite all of this, however, the Leafs still boast a true blue-chip prospect on the back end. Enter Ben Danford, who has become one of the top defensemen in the entire OHL.
While Danford isn't much of a point producer, he is a rare-bred, true shutdown defenseman, which are tough to come by nowadays.
Danford's strong play over the last three seasons has made him a top prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and a hot commodity in the OHL trade market.
Ben Danford has made a name for himself since entering the OHL. He's been an integral part of the Oshawa Generals, helping lead the team to back-to-back OHL finals.
After being named captain in 2024, Danford continued his upward trajectory, as he was named to the OHL's 3rd all-star team in 2024-25, and has made a considerable case to be named to Team Canada's World Junior team this winter.
With one more year of junior eligibility, Danford has an interesting season ahead of him. His Generals are losing many of their top players next year, and a recent rumour states that Danford may also be out the door.
OHLScoops on X/Twitter stated that Danford could be on his way to join the Brantford Bulldogs, who have had a busy offseason themselves, including adding fellow Leafs prospect, Sam McCue.
The Bulldogs are looking for a deep playoff run of their own, and adding Danford would be a huge piece.
He won't come cheap, but he will be worth it in the long run if Brantford decides to take a run at him.
Again, this is all just a rumour, but it will be interesting to follow. Let's wait and see how Danford ends up next season, whether that's with Oshawa, Brantford, or even elsewhere.