Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Off to Very Impressive Start With Bulldogs

Drafted 31st overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Ben Danford's selection caught many outside of the Leafs organization by surprise.

An injury ahead of last year's training camp prevented Danford from being a full participant in his first training camp, but he was rather impressive at his first full training camp this year.

Last Wednesday, Danford was traded from the Oshawa Generals to the Brantford Bulldogs as they look to position themselves well for a run at the Memorial Cup.

According to reports in early October, the Leafs were able to influence where he was traded. At the time of those reports, it was believed that the London Knights would be the Leafs' preferred destination given their connection to Mark Hunter, who was the Leafs' Assistant General Manager for a handful of seasons.

Prior to his trade to the Bulldogs, Danford was known as a physical, defensive defenseman. His highlights often consisted of him throwing massive hits and dropping the gloves during his time with the Generals.

In two games with the Bulldogs, however, Danford has seemingly found an offensive touch. The Belleville, Ontario native has tallied four assists in two games -- equaling his point total from his 8 games with the Generals before the trade.

Yes, the Bulldogs are a superior team to the Generals, with Danford lining up on the second pairing, but it has clearly given him more confidence on the offensive side of the puck.

While the Leafs drafted Danford for his defensive abilities, they are starved for a right-handed defenseman that can provide offense. It is still early, but if Danford continues to develop on the offensive side of the puck, he may turn into a two-way threat for the Leafs and help solve a long-standing issue on the right side of their blueline.