The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone all-in over the past couple of seasons, as Toronto doesn’t have a ton of draft picks or top prospects.
However, the Maple Leafs do have two impact prospects in Easton Cowan and Ben Danford. Although Toronto hasn’t traded either of them, NHL insider Steven Ellis believes Toronto should consider trading every prospect they have this season to go all-in.
“There is not a single untouchable prospect in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ pipeline. Every single one of them should be available for trade, and Ben Danford is no exception,” Ellis said. “There are teams that could use him, and just give where Toronto is, you expect them to be competitive for a few more years, right? When you do that, you look at the Florida Panthers, that’s a team that isn’t promoting their young guys and they’re bringing in that veteran depth. Colorado, Tampa Bay — the other teams that have been through the Stanley Cup grind that have been doing that.”
As Ellis notes, Toronto shouldn’t have any untouchable prospects, as if the Maple Leafs need to trade Danford at the deadline, they should.
Danford is a stay-at-home defenseman who likely is a couple of years away from reaching the NHL. He was selected 31st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and is the Maple Leafs’ top defensive prospect.
Insider Explains Why Danford is Prime Trade Candidate
Although many Maple Leafs fans wouldn’t want to trade Danford, Ellis believes it makes a ton of sense.
The insider says Danford doesn’t fit into Toronto’s window, which is why it makes sense to trade him. The Maple Leafs could also get a good impact NHL player for him who can help the team win now.
“That’s the thing. I don’t think Danford’s timeline fits with where Toronto is going to be at its peak competitiveness. He’s got to be a trade option,” Ellis said. “Especially now that they don’t have a first-round pick, they don’t have Minten or Grebenkin, so they don’t have a ton of value left. Danford should be a guy available to trade. Even if he makes the NHL, you’re very happy — that’s a 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman who plays well defensively — he’s a good prospect, 100 percent. But that also brings a lot of value in a trade and it will be interesting to see come February or March.”
Danford is set to play in the OHL again this season and could very well represent Team Canada at the World Juniors.
Maple Leafs GM Eager to see Cowan Compete for Roster Spot
Toronto’s other top prospect is Cowan, but he could reach the NHL this season.
Cowan nearly made the team as an 18-year-old, and last season, he struggled in training camp. As he enters training camp, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving says he’s excited to see Cowan compete for a roster spot.
“We’re excited to get into camp,” Treliving told The Athletic. “We’ve got some new players to integrate. Talking with Chief (Leafs head coach Craig Berube) on the drive here today, like we’ve been talking all summer — you have a lot of things written in pencil, right? But ultimately, you don’t know where chemistry is going to be, and really through camp and the preseason, who fits with who.”
Cowan could help replace the void of Mitch Marner as he could be a top-six forward for the Maple Leafs.
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