Toronto Maple Leafs

3 Reasons Danford Is a Good Bet to Crack the Maple Leafs Lineup

Toronto’s blue line is crowded, but three things suggest Ben Danford could still get his NHL opportunity sooner than expected.

by
Old Prof
September 20, 2026

Toronto’s blue line is crowded right now, and on paper, that’s not great news for a 20-year-old prospect trying to break in. But dig into the actual details, and Ben Danford looks like a real candidate to see NHL games this season anyway.

Here are three reasons why.

Three Reasons Danford Has a Good Chance for a Roster Spot

Reason One: Danford already proved he can handle real pressure.

Danford didn’t just quietly ride the bench during Toronto’s Calder Cup run last year. He played 16 games, all against playoff-level competition that was noticeably tougher than what he saw in junior. He chipped in three points and showed real physical presence along the way. Marlies coach Steve Sullivan put it plainly, saying age isn’t really the concern anymore; Danford’s already gotten the deep reps against bigger, stronger competition that usually takes prospects years to accumulate.

Reason Two: NHL rosters never stay healthy all season.

Right now, there’s a genuine logjam with Emil Andrae, Troy Stecher, and PTO addition Nick Blankenburg all fighting for that final defensive spot. But that’s a September problem, not a December or March problem. Every team eventually needs injury replacements on the back end, especially in playoff hockey, and Toronto learned that lesson the hard way last season. When that call inevitably comes, Danford’s the kind of physical, well-regarded prospect teams like to have ready in the wings.

Reason Three: The organization is high on Danford.

This isn’t a case of a team just hoping a prospect develops eventually. Sullivan’s comments make it clear the coaching staff is watching Danford closely and believes he’s close; the real question isn’t talent, it’s whether there’s room. If he comes into the AHL this season and plays with the same physicality and production that made him a standout in junior, it sounds like it genuinely won’t take long before Toronto gives him a real look.

The Bottom Line for Danford and the Maple Leafs

The path isn’t as simple as just winning a training camp battle. That logjam is real, and it’s deep. But between his playoff-tested reps, the inevitability of injuries wearing down any NHL blue line over an 82-game season, and an organization that clearly believes in his upside, Danford’s got a legitimate case to make his NHL debut sometime in 2026-27. Even if it doesn’t happen on opening night, there’s a good chance it will be soon after.

Sometimes the best prospects don’t need the door wide open. They just need one injury to knock, and from everything coaches are saying, Danford sounds ready to walk through it when it does.