Maple Leafs prospect checkpoint: How has Ben Danford fared through 5 months of 2025-26?
This isn’t to say that Ben Danford is going to become a surefire top pairing two-way blueliner for the Leafs, but his progress since being drafted indicates that he absolutely has the tools to become an NHL defenceman, and if he keeps trending the way he has been, he could be on track to making his debut as a Leaf sooner rather than later. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenceman was drafted as a member of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he eventually became their captain for a year before he was traded to the juggernaut Brantford Bulldogs eight games into the 2025-26 season.
While Danford’s offensive totals took a hit in 2024-25, going from 33 points in 64 games in his draft year to 25 points in 61 games the year after, the trade to Brantford has proven to be a great thing for him. He went from the Generals, who are currently dead last in the OHL by a wide margin, to the Bulldogs, who are first in the league and have only lost in regulation seven times this season. Since then, he’s scored a goal and added 12 assists for 13 points in 20 games for the Bulldogs, bringing him up to 17 points in 28 games this season.
Danford also got to suit up for Team Canada at the 2026 World Juniors, where he recorded an assist in six games and took home a bronze medal. While he dressed in all seven games for Canada, he was used sparingly by head coach Dale Hunter, which served as an indication of how he might be used as an NHL defenceman. He was leaned on heavily for the penalty kill and was frequently on the ice in goal-preventing situations, such as the 6-on-5 with the goalie pulled at the end of the game, and while his offensive numbers weren’t anything to write home about, he displayed an ability to make a crisp breakout pass and didn’t look out of place in offensive situations, either.
The 2025-26 season has been a success for Danford so far, and if he’s lucky, he’ll follow the Easton Cowan path towards the NHL with hopes of securing a Memorial Cup title with the Bulldogs to close out his junior career. Today is actually his 20th birthday, so his junior career will be over after this season and it’s safe to say that he’ll get a good opportunity with the Marlies in 2026-27 that likely features top pair minutes and time on both special teams. That is, if he doesn’t shock the world like Cowan did and crack the Maple Leafs’ lineup for opening night.