Toronto Maple Leafs cut young defenseman and reassign him to juniors
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On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a significant roster move by assigning 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League.
Unfortunately for Danford, his offseason did not go as planned. He was invited to training camp and sustained a nasty concussion from Marshall Finnie, and has been sidelined ever since.
Danford missed the NHL camp while he recovered, and he did not take part in the Prospect Showdown the following weekend against the prospects of the Montreal Canadiens.
The Maple Leafs selected the 19-year-old in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft (31st overall). Prior to his injury, he was anticipated to be among Toronto's best defensive prospects to play in the match.
He won't get a chance with the Maple Leafs this season, as the team reassigned Danford to the Oshawa Generals on Monday, according to an announcement made by the team:
Prior to Toronto's practice on Monday, Danford was spotted on the ice with players who are sidelined with lower body injuries: Calle Jarnkrok, Alex Steeves, Jani Hakanpaa (knee), and Connor Dewar (shoulder).
Even though Danford had little chance of making the team this season, he could have made the Marlies if he had performed well in camp. However, they might have preferred that Danford gain some more experience in the conditioning and skating departments.
Though Danford may not be out of the picture entirely, the team has the option to call him back after his stint with Oshawa is over, either for a potential playoff run with the Marlies or, in the best-case scenario, as a depth defender for the Maple Leafs that could make the playoff roster with strong play.
The Maple Leafs were Danford's childhood team, so it was an intriguing selection for them, and he undoubtedly experienced the pressure and thrill that come with being selected by your favorite team right away.
"Honestly, the second he (Wes Clark) called my name, I kind of blacked out a little bit. I think my whole family was in a little bit of a shock,» Danford explained. «We're from a small town so getting drafted on the big stage, especially in the first round, was pretty surreal for my whole family. I mean yeah, I kind of blacked out going down the stairs; my legs felt like Jell-O. It was kind of hard getting around there but no, it was good."
Fans can only hope for Danford's best while he continues to patrol the blue line for Oshawa in the 2024-2025 season; however, if he can build on his success from the previous season and find motivation to play for the Maple Leafs, it might not be too many seasons until we see him suit up for the team.
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