One might expect the buzz surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ facilities to quiet down in the NHL offseason. But that might actually be when the noise is at its loudest. After trading Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews is in dire need of a new sidekick, and the Leafs appear willing to go to any length. So much so, in fact, that reports suggest a former first-round pick could soon be dealt away by Toronto.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Well, desperation has been mounting for a while now in The Six, and such bold moves may soon become the norm in Ontario. It’s been made crystal clear to Matthews and the Leafs they aren’t on the right track to hoist the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in over 50 years. It wasn’t an easy lesson, though—it was one taught through sheer trial and error, and then some more errors.
The Maple Leafs might finally be embracing the winds of change that breeze through Toronto. Losing Marner is hardly a pleasant sight, but it could pave the way for a better future. His departure will be as impactful as Toronto makes it to be. One thing is certain, though: if the trade backfires, it will haunt the Leafs every single night.
Regardless, it’s about time Matthews and the Leafs move on and turn their focus to the 2025–26 NHL season. Marner may have gone all the way west to Sin City, but the pressure from fans and media on Toronto to deliver hasn’t budged an inch from Scotiabank Arena.
Ben Danford poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 31st overall pick during the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Exploring the market on prospect
On that note, the Leafs are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit to bolster the lineup. And, according to reports, not even a former first-rounder in the team’s system might be safe.
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“I’ve started to hear [Leafs prospect] Ben Danford’s name as a piece that they might consider to dangle,” insider David Pagnotta said on the JD Bunkis podcast.
Brief stay, perhaps?
Born in Madoc, Ontario, Danford was selected by the Maple Leafs with the 31st overall pick in the 2024 NHL entry Draft. The 19-year-old blueliner signed a three-year, $2.8M entry-level contract in August 2024. However, it has not yet kicked in, since Danford has yet to make his NHL debut.
Danford is currently the captain of the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League. At 6’2″ and 194 pounds, the defenseman remains an exciting prospect who could draw significant interest around the league if made available.
Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 07, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This past season, Danford recorded 25 points (5 goals and 20 assists) in 61 games. That, along with his 68 penalty minutes — the third-highest on the team — have hurt his stock a bit.
The new Maple Leafs
Whether Toronto is serious about trading away Danford—who could become a staple on its blue line in the long haul—or not remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the Maple Leafs, once bitten, aren’t twice shy. Marner’s trade might have flung the door wide open for Toronto to explore what was once thought to be uncharted territory.
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