Maple Leafs Ink First-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defensive prospect Ben Danford to his entry-level contract.

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ben Danford is selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Maple Leafs have put pen to paper with their most recent first-round pick. The Maple Leafs announced that they have signed defenseman Ben Danford to a three-year entry-level contract.

The Maple Leafs selected Danford in the first round (31st overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. Danford played the last two seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. He is expected to return to the Generals for the 2024-25 season.

Pen to paper ✍️

We’ve signed defenceman Ben Danford to a three-year, entry-level contract

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) August 2, 2024

During the 2023-24 season with Oshawa, Danford scored just one goal but picked up 32 assists in 64 games played. In his first OHL season, he scored four goals with 17 assists for 21 total points in 63 games played.

Danford played 21 playoff games with the Generals this past season and scored 10 total points (4G-6A). With his help on the blue line, the Generals reached the OHL Final but fell short to the London Knights.

It didn’t take long, but Danford already looks like a promising prospect in the Maple Leafs pipeline. As a shutdown right-shot defenseman, Danford has a chance to grow into a top defender.

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