"Stop inviting bums to prospect camps": Fans annoyed as Maple Leafs top prospect Ben Danford gets levelled after Marshall Finnie hit

Toronto Maple Leafs fans are livid after an incident involving top prospect Ben Danford during Thursday’s rookie camp scrimmage.

The 18-year-old defenseman, who was drafted 31st overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL Draft, was hit hard by Marshall Finnie, leaving him visibly shaken as he left the ice.

The hit occurred near the boards, with Danford taking the brunt of the impact to his head. After being assessed on the bench for a potential head injury, he skated off to the dressing room.

Social media erupted with mixed reactions following the incident. One fan commented,

"Stop inviting bums to prospect camps."

Another fan wrote,

"First practice and he gets smoked already. Welcome to the big leagues buddy" on X.

Here are some fan reactions:

"What the f**k are they doing at the Leafs rookie camps? Last year a kid got knocked out from a hit and now this. Concussing your teenage prospects in September is suboptimal." one fan wrote on X.

"They still pick the softest players in the league. Incredible" another fan wrote.

"This should not happen during a scrimmage." a user commented.

"Wow, for a parent company that has canned 6,100 employees in the last 15 months, I’m glad to see they still have the budget to cover national stories like Leafs rookie scrimmages." another user wrote.

Danford had a promising last season with the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League, where he notched one goal and 33 points in 64 games.

Marlies coach John Gruden overseeing Maple Leafs rookie camp

Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden, who is overseeing the Maple Leafs rookie camp, commented on the controversial hit on Ben Danford.

Gruden said he didn't get a good view of the hit but is hoping Danford will be okay.

"He's being evaluated right now. Hopefully he'll be OK," Gruden said of Danford's status. He added, "I know [Finnie] feels bad and hopefully Danford's OK."

Danford played the last two seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. In 127 career OHL games, the Madoc, Ontario native has scored 5 goals and added 54 assists.

Danford also represented Canada in August at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping the team win gold.