Stars laud Ben Danford's gritty shutdown play. His relentless shot-blocking and defensive intensity earn praise, making him Canada's prototypical defensive specialist for this year's World Juniors.
"He likes guys that play hard, block shots, and that made me smile because, you know, that's what I like to do. So, it's perfect."
That’s what Team Canada defenseman Ben Danford said about Head Coach Dale Hunter. The Brantford Bulldogs defenseman will play a pivotal defensive role for his country, taking care of his own end first, tasked with tough assignments, and putting his body on the line for his country, something he was more than willing to do throughout every practice in training camp.
There’s no taking it easy for the Toronto Maple Leafs 2024 first-rounder. Throughout training camp, Danford played his teammates hard in battles, prepping them for what’s to come.
“It’s huge, I mean, all these practices, everyone’s giving their 110%, everyone’s giving their best. So you know, that just makes everyone else better,” Danford mentioned regarding his intensity levels throughout Team Canada’s practices.
It appears that Danford will start the tournament on a defense pairing with Ethan MacKenzie. Those two may not be considered the “shutdown pair,” reserved most likely for Kashawn Aitcheson and Harrison Brunicke to start. Still, you can bet that Danford will have the majority of his shifts start in the defensive zone and be a mainstay on their penalty kill.
Canada's coaching staff has placed significant emphasis on the importance of special teams during their training camp. They have dedicated extensive practice time to both the power play and the penalty kill. One of Danford's greatest strengths is his shot-blocking ability, which he will contribute to Canada's penalty kill efforts.
Danford has been working with fellow OHLer Aitcheson on a penalty kill unit. Those two together play with lots of aggression and ruggedness. They also both possess excellent active defensive sticks to deflect passes and take away lanes.
His intense competitiveness in practices and games allows his leadership qualities to shine through on any team he plays for. Although he may serve in a depth role for Canada, his hard work and willingness to put his body on the line for the crest on his jersey inspire his teammates.
“I think it’s just how hard he competes. He’s got a really good stick, he battles, he never really gives up. If you get a step on him, he’s still not going to give up; he’s going to keep battling,” Canada star forward Gavin McKenna said regarding his countryman’s game.
Owen Sound Attack’s netminder Carter George will assume the role of Canada’s number one again at this year’s tournament. He mentioned to the media how much he appreciates Danford’s game as a goaltender, noting his shot blocking prowess, his hard-nosed game, and overall how great a teammate he is.
With Brampton and Oshawa playing in the same conference, former Steelheads captain Porter Martone had many battles with the ex-General.
“Just how reliable he is. I played against him a lot last year, played a whole series (playoffs) against him, he’s just hard. He plays really hard, he’s smart with it, and he’s just so reliable; he’s never going to mess up. He keeps things simple, and I think that’s what makes him so good. He’s always making the right play and makes a great first pass,” Martone said about Danford.
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The Toronto prospect mentioned that he and Oshawa had talked about being traded at some point this season, knowing that the Gens’ window had been closed.
Danford was named captain of the Oshawa Generals at the start of the season. He was a part of their stingy defense core that went to back-to-back OHL finals. With Oshawa now in a rebuild, the Generals traded away their captain to the Brantford Bulldogs, where he aims to get over the hump finally.
“Been a runner-up a couple of times, so to finish first would mean that much more to me,” said Danford about what it would mean to win gold.
“I wasn’t really aware of you know when it was going to happen, but I knew there was a good chance that I was going to (be traded), and it would be in the best interest for my development. I can’t thank Oshawa enough for what they did to me.”
He mentioned that he has been feeling more confident with the puck on his stick and on the offensive side of the ice since his move to Brantford (12 points, +8, in 15 games), but his eyes are focused on working on the foundation of his defensive game, which Maple Leaf fans will get to see firsthand at this tournament.
Danford is set to graduate to the professional ranks next season. The best outcomes for the defender in the new year would be to bring home a gold medal for his country and win an OHL Championship with the Bulldogs.
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