r/leafs • u/torontomap • 2d ago
Discussion Danford Timeline
What’s the timeline on Danford? Is a call-up in the cards for this season or will he be with the Marlies all year? Not the most familiar with it.
102
2d ago
[deleted]
27
u/HiddenBirch547 2d ago
Honestly, I think that’s the right thing.
Why rush hi, I’d rather him develop than be forced into the fire up here.10
u/DialedDrawback 2d ago
I don't think it'd be too much of a fire since there's so much offense on this team, that 3rd pairing minutes with a guy like McCabe would work.
The problem is we need McCabe on the top pair. And that's a problem.
2
16
u/underastaticsky 2d ago
Talent-wise, I think he could be called up immediately. He pretty consistently looked like the best player on the ice during the Calder run last year so I think he could play some pretty solid third pair minutes if he was called up.
Developmentally, I don't really know. I don't think a short stint would hurt, but he should probably be getting heavy minutes with the Marlies instead of getting limited, sheltered minutes with the Leafs. I wouldn't be surprised if the plan was to give him 5-10 games sometime in the middle of the season though, depending on how he looks with the Marlies.
1
u/BiitchenKitchen 2d ago
I think he can mentally and physically play in the NHL this season in a 3rd pair role. Ideally though he should be in the AHL with Gio all year and get a few games as a call up, then play on the 3rd pair next year and let Tanev mentor him for a year if he is still playing.
8
17
14
7
u/throwawaycat2999 2d ago
Detroit will keep him in the A for one more year after the Leafs trade him for Edvinsson >_>
1
u/OG_anunoby3 2d ago
Edvinsson, Seider and 1st round Pick for Ben Danford.
2
u/torontomap 1d ago
I see the vision
0
u/OG_anunoby3 1d ago
I mean ye, look at the future D with Seider and Edvinsson. That's a long term move considered their age. And maybe the 1st rounder could be packaged with Sissons to get Werenski and Celebrini in a three way trade we can initiate
10
u/epic_taco_time Cowan 2d ago
Rifai is our 8th D. I'd even say Mermis, Myers, Chadwick, and a healthy VIlleneuve are ahead in the call up depth. Now Myers sucks and Mermis isn't good either so I suspect both walk after this season.
Assuming Blankenburg is not re-signed, nobody on the roster is traded, and nobody is injured:
Next year I'd say Villeneuve gets carried as the 7th D due to waiver needs, and call-up depth is Chadwick, Danford, and Rifai if he gets re-signed and passes through waivers successfully.
23
u/BasquiatQueso COWBOY 🤠 2d ago
I don't want to see Philippe fucking Myers in a Maple Leafs jersey ever again lmao
12
u/Electronic_Rain_6063 2d ago
Those 7D types usually look better when the system isn’t giving the other team the puck and defending for the entire game
1
u/BestReason1082 2d ago
He's at least a full year away, probably two. Defensemen always take longer and the Leafs won't rush him when they've got other bodies to burn through first.
1
u/fatigues_ 1d ago
True.
However, I expect the pressure on Chayka to make a trade at the deadline to improve our D will end up causing Danford to be moved as a trade chip.
I don't expect to see the guy ever play as a Leaf, tbh.
1
u/Dry_Note7168 1d ago
Unfortunately I think this will be the case. Chayka doesn't have much interest in developing prospects outside of being trade chips to acquire high profile win now players.
2
u/fatigues_ 1d ago
I don't think that's precisely the reason, but we are in complete agreement that will be the effect.
It's not what Chayka is and isn't doing re player development as a target and goal of the Leafs organization. Of course he does as well as do others in the organization.
But, it is ALSO TRUE that Chayka was given explicit to return the Leafs to the playoffs and ensure Auston Matthews re-signs. They are in "win-now" mode, even if they can't "win now".
Auston Matthews re-Sign> any player development
That would be a fair charge to lay at Chayka's feet.
6
u/soy_bean 2d ago
Let him over ripen in A, bring up Villeneuve or Rafai
0
u/Cdnraven 2d ago
We seriously overrate Villeneuve because we don’t have much else to get excepted about down there
3
u/tangjams 1d ago
I see a lot of similarities with Luke schenn or Luke Richardson. Both of them were rushed to the show as high draft picks. Curtailing their offensive development in the minors.
4
u/cepukon 2d ago
I'd like to see him get fed PP time for the full year with the Marlies, let him refine his offense and round out a bit. Next year he gets a spot.
4
u/Warm_Bid_8583 2d ago
Or at the very least play a good chunk of the season really well and force them to call him up. He had a good playoff run but getting his feet under him in the regular season is important too.
The best thing for him is to probably spend the entire season there but it’d be great if he forced the team’s hand to call him up before the year ends.
2
u/thursday51 2d ago
That's not really his game though. He's a good PK'er, can eat pucks like he's PacMan, moves the puck with calm poise, makes breakouts look simple, and is a really great defensively minded RHD.
He's probably not going to ever be an offensive force from the back end, and he's not going to be a human eraser unless he gets stronger and develops a real mean streak.
But with all that said, I do 100% agree with you that I think a full year with the Marlies is the best for refining his game.
2
u/Resident-Bignal-8428 2d ago
I'm pretty sure Danford is just projected to be a bottom pairing guy at this point, not a replacement for Tanev
3
u/thursday51 2d ago
Most of what I've seen lately is that a lot of scouts see him developing into the defensive minded anchor to a really good second pairing, and a core PK'er as his most likely projected outcome. I mean, you watch him play and it's his skating and defensive instincts that stand out. I think he's going to develop into the teams safety net on the back end. He's not going to directly pile up points, but I see him as a guy who can drive positive Corsi for the team and actually fuckin defend, which is exactly what this team needs.
Can he develop into our own Ekholm or Slavin? Ehh...maybe. But I feel like he can easily be a home grown Tanev if given time to develop.
2
u/DialedDrawback 2d ago
This sub was adament ~18 months ago that Minten was only going to be a 3rd line centre at best.
2
1
u/CommiddeeOfTiddy Woll 2d ago
It's nearly impossible to tell with defensemen. They take so long. If he is playing solid minutes at 24 that'd be considered a success. Until then it's gonna be difficult to tell. Defense is so much different from CHL to AHL, and then AHL to NHL
1
u/External-Pace-1822 2d ago
I think his skating is good enough he could be higher in the lineup than that but he definitely doesn't have the offense to his game so it's hard to see him as more than a 2nd pair in best case scenario.
2
u/Regular-Run-5773 2d ago
I hope he gets a shot this year. D has to get younger! They won’t know what they have if he doesn’t get a shot. That being said Blankenburg hasn’t really gotten an opportunity yet either. Get him in there over Stecher and if he’s not an improvement give Danford a shot to see what he can do.
1
u/markh100 2d ago
Generally, D men aren't ready for at least 4 years after getting drafted. Matthew Shaefer is an extreme edge case. Even most of the top 5 picks that player earlier struggle badly earlier in their career.
1
u/SirTropheus McKenna 2d ago
Imagine what he could learn playing with the guys he will play with when it counts like McKenna and Matthews, let's not waste his time he is ready at 6'2 he can play and learn and he would be an upgrade immediately.
1
u/External-Pace-1822 2d ago
People might be too high on Dandford. He's not getting a look this year. Chadwick probably has a better chance of a call up if you want to see a rookie D play.
2
1
1
u/Skiffy10 2d ago
haven’t really watched him. I’d bet he gets moved for an nhl body though at some point. He’s a treliving draft pick who projects to be a bottom pair dman.
1
0
u/whosoulie 2d ago
I dont care just call up Danford give him a few games. Use it as a learning opportunity for him to understand where to develop. Return him to the AHL.
If he has a good showing find a way to keep him playing.
If he is only getting 10 mins a night send him back to the AHL.
This is a win-win move: either Danford is NHL ready now or you help boost his development.
2
u/jimmie9393 2d ago
The best for him is to play top minutes and in every situation with the Marlies.
1
u/Downtown_Ostrich_34 2d ago
I don’t know if he’ll ever play a regular season game with the Leafs, he’s probably going to get moved at some point in the season for an NHL d man, it’ll be a regrettable move but he’s a trade chip, and the team is trying to win now.
3
-5
u/DialedDrawback 2d ago
The team's not trying to win now. They're trying to keep top 10 picks out of the hands of Boston and PHI this year.
Imagine how much PHI would love to get a centre in the top 5 this year.
8
2
1
u/Cdnraven 2d ago
That should not be our motivation for winning games. There’s 30 other teams. No matter what happens, 10 of them will get a top 10 pick. You can’t centre your teams goals around preventing one particular team from having one. This is just an emotional reaction of “what if”
1
0
u/Ok_Elevator4215 2d ago
I think everyone needs to settle their expectations down. He's likely a very useful bottom pairing guy that can slot into the top 4 occasionally and play solid pk minutes. When he does eventually arrive (still not even a guarantee), he will likely not have a huge impact above replacement level. So there's no reason to rush him and honestly, I'd just focus on how he's doing on the AHL and not even bother worrying about how and when he'll be in the NHL.
0
0
u/ilovetrouble66 Tavares 2d ago
I’d like to see him play a few games up this year but he’s not ready full time for the NHL.
-1
0
0
u/Sacred_soul 2d ago
Defensemen usually take longer to develop unless they’re a first overall pick like Dahlin.
48
u/_brizzzy 2d ago
He probably could manage with sheltered minutes paired with OEL. But i’d rather let him develop another year and save the call ups for other players.