Ben Danford was a surprise pick for the Maple Leafs at the 2024 NHL Draft, but after an impressive camp, he heads back to the OHL full of potential for the future. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>The Maple Leafs</a> under GM Brad Treliving have had a fantastic off-season, making several solid additions in every place of need, but their <a href='https://www.markerzone.com/hockey/stats/nhl/draft.php' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'> first-round draft pick at the 2024 NHL Draft</a> was certainly a move that was questioned. With the No. 31 overall draft pick, Toronto landed Ben Danford, a defenseman from the Oshawa Generals, and while the move raised questions, the team appeared confident in the move. That confidence paid off during training camp, as the 6-foot-1 Danford showed plenty of potential, but after lasting so long at training camp, the team have now officially released him back to <a href='https://chl.ca/ohl-generals/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the Oshawa Generals</a> of the OHL. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/1840783942472937869'> </a></blockquote></div> After showing so much potential, he'll head back to the junior ranks with plenty of new knowledge and confidence, and with a big season, he could force himself into the Maple Leafs lineup for the 2025/26 lineup. Last season with Oshawa, Danford tallied just one goal but added 32 assists in 64 games, but with a +27 differential, his defensive prowess and playmaking skills make him perfect for today's NHL. It's unclear how close Danford came to making the NHL roster this season, but after the team added Chris Tanev, Jani Hakanpaa and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, it was always a stretch, but if he develops in key areas for the Generals in 2024/25, keep an eye out for him next season as the Maple Leafs look to inject some youth into their incredibly talented lineup.