Why Ben Danford and Noah Chadwick will be closely watched at Maple Leafs camp

The two young defencemen in their early 20's, particularly Danford, have a chance to break in with a shortage of youth at the position.

Published Sep 11, 2026  •  3 minute read

Montreal’s Oliver Kapanen and Toronto’s Noah Chadwick during last year's Prospect Showdown. Dave Sidaway/Postmedia Network

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Out of their teens, defencemen Ben Danford and Noah Chadwick now have their eye on Toronto’s big team. 

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When the Maple Leafs rookies practised Friday for the weekend prospects showcase in Gatineau, the two young members of the Marlies’ Calder Cup run in June were blueline partners.

On a Leafs defence that’s getting long in the tooth, their progress in the rookie scrimmages and in next week’s main camp will get even more attention. 

Home-grown talent at that position hasn’t quite been a Leafs development gold mine after the trades of Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren required re-stocking with Danford in the 2024 draft’s first round and the quick-rising Chadwick the year before. 

After his OHL Brantford Bulldogs season ended, Danford played 16 playoff games for the Marlies, usually paired with a veteran.

Steve Sullivan, who was the Marlies assistant last year and will be running the prospects as the farm team’s new head coach, spoke of the 6-foot-2 Danford pushing for NHL work right now. 

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“I don’t think he’s far away. He’s coming in here wanting to take a spot in that top six. That was what he was shooting for when we talked this morning,” Sullivan said.

“I don’t think it’s age (holding him back), he’s only 20, but he’s gotten those deep reps that he needed against really big (AHL) guys. He doesn’t need much, it’s whether there’s room for him and can he be better than the sixth guy on the Leafs.” 

Danford’s evolution to more of a rushing defenceman will go a long way to determining that. 

WHO HAS JOBS ON THE LEAF BLUELINE?

While Darren Raddysh, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, Emil Andrae, Troy Stecher and Morgan Rielly likely secure spots, warhorse Chris Tanev’s health is a question with veterans Philippe Meyer and Dakota Mermis back to battle on the fringes for their own ice time. 

Sullivan acknowledged Chadwick was not utilized as much by the Marlies after 68 regular-season AHL games, coming out of the Western Hockey League. 

“That hurt his development a bit, but he’s rangy (6-foot-4) and looks a lot better than he did last summer,” Sullivan said. “I’m hoping for good things from him also.” 

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It was a memorable, but short summer for both “a whirlwind” as the Belleville-born Danford described it.

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“After they beat Laval (early in the AHL playoffs) they said ‘you’re in the lineup’. I thought I handled the pressure pretty well. Don’t worry about the mistakes, they’re going to happen. To call myself a winner now is awesome and bring that confidence into this camp,” he said.

“I just want to be a steady 200-foot defenceman so they can rely on me. At the NHL level, it’s grown men, you have to bear down and be able to make a good first-pass breakout. Sully and I talked a bit about me being a leader in this tournament. I want to look like I belong. 

“Chaddy is really easy to play with, a great guy off the ice and really smart player.”   

Both spent time this month skating with the main Leaf body — and golfed with them as they trickled back from summer vacation.  

After the rookies play the host Ottawa Senators on Saturday evening, there’s a 1 p.m. match against Winnipeg on Sunday. Main camp begins after a Monday charity golf tournament. 

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