Ben Danford on Winning the Calder Cup & Chasing a Leafs Roster Spot

Fresh off winning the Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies, Leafs prospect Ben Danford joins Nick Alberga and David Pagnotta to reflect on a whirlwind few months. After wrapping up his junior career, turning pro, and capturing a championship on June 19, Danford explains why the moment felt surreal—and why, after reaching the finals for a third straight year, winning was the only thing on his mind.

He discusses the smooth transition to the AHL, credits the Marlies' coaching staff and veteran teammates for making him feel at home, and shares what it meant to have Easton Cowan hand him the Calder Cup after Cowan and the London Knights ended Danford's OHL season in back-to-back years.

Danford also opens up about working alongside Mark Giordano, the impact the veteran has had on his development, and why newly promoted Leafs assistant coach John Gruden is "someone you want to work for, want to play for, and want to go to war for."

Finally, the 2024 first-round pick outlines his offseason priorities, his focus on getting stronger after a long season, and makes his intentions for training camp crystal clear: "At the end of the day, my goal is to make the opening night roster."

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