{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 2006)}} {{Infobox ice hockey biography | name = Ben Danford | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|2|6}} | birth_place = Madoc, Ontario, Canada | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 192 | position = Defence | shoots = Right | league = NHL | team = Toronto Maple Leafs | prospect_league = OHL | prospect_team = Brantford Bulldogs | draft = 31st overall | draft_year = 2024 | draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs }} '''Ben Danford''' (born February 6, 2006) is a Canadian junior ice hockey defenceman for the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 31st overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL entry draft.
==Playing career== On April 20, 2022, Danford was drafted 14th overall by the Oshawa Generals in the 2022 OHL Draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chl.ca/ohl/ohldraft-introductions-14th-overall-pick-ben-danford-oshawa-generals/ |title=#OHLDraft Introductions: 14th Overall Pick Ben Danford (Oshawa Generals) |website=chl.ca |first=Josh |last=Sweetland |date=May 5, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> On May 13, 2022, he signed with the Generals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chl.ca/ohl-generals/14th-overall-selection-ben-danford-commits-to-generals/ |title=14th overall selection Ben Danford commits to Generals |website=chl.ca |date=May 13, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> During the 2022–23 season, in his first season with the Generals, he recorded four goals and 17 assists in 63 regular season games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chl.ca/ohl-generals/article/ben-danford-picked-31st-overall-by-toronto-maple-leafs-at-2024-nhl-draft/ |title=Ben Danford picked 31st overall by Toronto Maple Leafs at 2024 NHL Draft |website=chl.ca |date=June 28, 2024 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> During the 2023–24 season, he recorded one goal and 32 assists in 64 regular season games. During the playoffs, he recorded four goals and six assists in 21 games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-first-round-pick-ben-danford-will-do-anything-to-win/ |title=Maple Leafs' first-round pick Ben Danford 'will do anything to win' |website=Sportsnet |first=Adham |last=Gad |date=March 24, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/players/where-will-ben-danford-go-in-the-2024-nhl-draft |title=Where will Ben Danford go in the 2024 NHL draft? |work=The Hockey News |first=Rowan |last=McCarthy |date=June 24, 2024 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref>
On June 28, 2024, Danford was drafted 31st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL entry draft.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/maple-leafs-trade-first-round-pick-to-ducks-for-two-picks |title=Maple Leafs trade down in first round, take D-man Danford |newspaper=Toronto Sun |first=Terry |last=Koshan |date=June 28, 2024 |access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5602305/2024/06/29/maple-leafs-nhl-draft-ben-danford/ |title=The Maple Leafs' prospect pool is thin on defence. Enter Ben Danford |work=The Athletic |first1=Jonas |last1=Siegel |first2=Joshua |last2=Kloke |date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref> He was later signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on August 2, 2024.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-2024-first-round-pick-ben-danford-to-three-year-entry-level-contract | title = Maple Leafs sign 2024 first-round draft pick Ben Danford | publisher = Toronto Maple Leafs | date = August 2, 2024 | accessdate = August 2, 2024 }}</ref> During a Maple Leafs' rookie camp scrimmage, Danford suffered a concussion after receiving a hit to the head by invitee Marshall Finnie. The concussion caused him to miss the Prospect Showdown against the Montreal Canadiens and the Maple Leafs training camp. On September 30, Danford was loaned back to the Oshawa Generals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barden |first=Nick |date=2024-09-30 |title=Maple Leafs Send Defensive Prospect Ben Danford Back to OHL's Oshawa Generals After Recovery From Concussion |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-send-defensive-prospect-ben-danford-back-to-ohls-oshawa-generals-after-recovery-from-concussion |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=The Hockey News}}</ref> Upon his return, the Generals named him the team captain for the 2024–25 season, which he called “surreal.” He had 5 goals and 20 assists in 61 games in the regular season,<ref name=THN250528>{{cite web |last=Doerfler |first=Evan |title= 'I Can Hold My Own': Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Embraces Physical Edge, Leadership Role In First Season As Generals' Captain |url= https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-can-hold-my-own-maple-leafs-prospect-ben-danford-embraces-physical-edge-leadership-role-in-first-season-as-generals-captain |magazine=The Hockey News|date=May 28, 2025|access-date=June 5, 2025 }}</ref> and was named a Third Team All-Star.<ref name=AllStar25>{{Cite web|title=OHL Announces 2024-25 All-Star and All-Rookie Teams|url=https://chl.ca/ohl/article/ohl-announces-2024-25-all-star-and-all-rookie-teams/|website=Canadian Hockey League|date=May 30, 2025|access-date=June 5, 2025}}</ref> In the postseason, Danford led the Generals on another deep run to the OHL Finals, where they faced the London Knights for the second consecutive year, and were again defeated. Danford had 2 goals and 3 assists in 21 playoff games.<ref name=THN250528/>
On October 30, 2025, the Generals traded Danford along with Zackary Sandhu to the Brantford Bulldogs in exchange for Aiden O'Donnell, Lucas Moore, Luca DiPlacido, and nine OHL draft picks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/ohl/article/bulldogs-and-generals-complete-major-trade-involving-five-players-and-nine-draft-selections/ |title=Bulldogs and Generals complete major trade involving five players and nine draft selections |website=CHL.ca|publisher=OHL |date=October 30, 2025 |access-date=November 1, 2025}}</ref>
==International play== {{MedalTableTop||name=}} {{MedalCountry|{{ihj|CAN}}}} {{MedalSport|Ice hockey}} {{MedalCompetition|World Junior Championships}} {{MedalBronze|2026 United States|}} {{MedalBottom}} Danford represented Canada at the 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and won a bronze medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20/news/71556/can-fin-bmg |title=Canada ends medal drought with bronze |website=IIHF.com |first=Lucas |last=Aykroyd |date=January 5, 2026 |access-date=January 5, 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Danford's father, Allan, was drafted in the 15th round of the 1987 OHL Draft by the Toronto Marlboros.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.omha.net/news_article/show/1217078 |title=Danford Following in Dad's Footsteps as he Captains Red Devils |website=omha.net |first=Adham |last=Gad |date=March 24, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> His family owns a construction company, Danford Construction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/maple-leafs-select-oshawa-generals-defenceman-who-can-do-a-little-heavy-lifting/article_11b7b08e-35c7-11ef-9a39-f3cf5852927f.html |title= Maple Leafs select Oshawa Generals defenceman who can do a little heavy lifting |newspaper=Toronto Star |first=Kevin |last=McGran |date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Regular season ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2022–23 | Oshawa Generals | OHL | 63 || 4 || 17 || 21 || 42 | 5 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2023–24 | Oshawa Generals | OHL | 64 || 1 || 32 || 33 || 25 | 21 || 4 || 6 || 10 || 22 |- |2024–25 |Oshawa Generals |OHL | 61 || 5 || 20 || 25 || 68 | 21 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2025–26 | Oshawa Generals | OHL | 8 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 5 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2025–26 | Brantford Bulldogs | OHL | 37 || 2 || 14 || 16 || 8 | 13 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 9 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" |OHL totals ! 233 !! 13 !! 86 !! 99 !! 148 ! 60 !! 7 !! 12 !! 19 !! 35 |}
===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2022 | Canada Red | U17 | {{silver2}} | 7 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 10 |- bgcolor="f0f0f0" | 2023 | Canada | HG18 | {{gold1}} | 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4" | Junior totals ! 12 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 !! 14 |}
==Awards and honours== {| class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year ! Ref |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4" |OHL |- | Third All-Star Team | 2025 | <ref name=AllStar25/> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{icehockeystats}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box | before = Easton Cowan | title = Toronto Maple Leafs first-round draft pick | years = 2024 | after = Incumbent }} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danford, Ben}} Category:2006 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Brantford Bulldogs players Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario Category:NHL first-round draft picks Category:Oshawa Generals players Category:Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks