Could Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Be Ready To Join The Marlies On Their Playoff Run?
Ben Danford came to Toronto thinking about next fall. The Marlies' unexpected playoff run may force him to think about next week.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford arrived in Toronto a few days ago thinking about next fall. He may need to start thinking about next week. The Brantford Bulldogs’ season ended in a Game 7 heartbreak against the Barrie Colts in the OHL’s Eastern Conference final.
Danford had barely finished processing the loss when he made the trip to Toronto for post-season testing and skating sessions, the standard organizational check-in for a prospect wrapping up his junior career. But the Toronto Marlies’ 3-2 series win over the Laval Rocket on Saturday , which advanced them to the North Division final against Cleveland beginning Thursday , has opened a door that wasn’t supposed to open this soon. “If I ever get the chance to get in the lineup, I’ll be ready to go,” Danford told TSN’s Mark Masters in a lengthy interview over the weekend .
The 20-year-old defenceman has been skating the past few days, his body is fresh off a full playoff run, and by his own account he's feeling good. “As of right now, after getting four or five days of rest, my body feels pretty great,” he said. Whether the Marlies’ brass opts to insert a 2024 first-round pick into a live playoff environment is a decision for Maple Leafs GM John Chayka and the coaching staff, but Danford is making clear he won’t be the obstacle.
Ben Danford felt he improved defensively this season & is planning a big summer: "My goal is to make the NHL next year" Inspired by pal Easton Cowan: "We always joke around about how it'd be pretty cool if me & him play in the NHL together at a young age" https://t. co/VhF5BrdPbT — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) May 10, 2026 The broader context matters here. Danford is not a bubble prospect auditioning for organizational relevance.
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