OHL coach lauds Ben Danford who Maple Leafs drafted with 31st pick - "Isn’t afraid to hand out some lumber"

Ben Danford became the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Although the team originally held the 23rd pick, they chose to move down eight spots (31st) for an additional second round pick (58th) by trading it with the Anaheim Ducks.

The 18-year-old defenseman is coming off the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League and was considered a top defensive prospect in this year's draft. The Daily Faceoff's Hunter Crowther recently shared how much praise an OHL coach heaped on the youngster.

“He’s mean, he isn’t afraid to hand out some lumber on (an opponent) in front of his net,” the scout told Crowther. “Whoever takes this guy is getting someone who will be a 22-minute-a-night guy in a few years.”

The said OHL coach also lauded Danford's game IQ and shot-blocking. Besides being a solid player on the defensive side of the ice, Ben has managed to excel with his strong right-handed shot.

In his previous season with the Generals, Danford scored 33 points in the regular season and 10 more in the postseason despite handling defensive responsibilities from his line.

---

Fans react to Maple Leafs selecting Ben Danford in round 1

Leafs fans were quick to react to their first round selection on the internet. Many were thrilled to welcome the youngster to the team and let their feelings known in the comments.

Following are some fan reactions from X/Twitter:

“A shot blocking monster. #LeafsForever fans are going to love him. So good in his own zone”

“Got to watch a bit of him during the OHL Championship. He's a big boy, shot blocker and will contribute down the road. #LeafsForever,” wrote one fan.

“We got ourselves an Oshawa General in the house! Not a bad pick but we'll take it. Let's go!” commented another user.

Some of the Leafs faithful pointed out that Ben Danford has been a ‘die-hard’ Leafs fan. They were excited to welcome the youngster to the team.

“He’s a die hard Leafs fan… I’m sold.”

“Solid pick, watched him when he played against the Knights. He’s solid, and could be a Top 4 D man,” wrote one user.

“Good size, right shot, defensive Dman ok 👌🏼 let’s see how this works out in 3yrs when he should be ready to take that next step,” commented another fan.

The Leafs have a total of eight picks across five rounds of the Draft. Their next pick comes late in the second round and the third will be at 120th in the fourth.