"Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford has reportedly been invited to Team Canada's training camp for the 2026 World Junior Championships, per The Athletic's Scott Wheeler. Hockey Canada will officially announce their full roster of invites on Monday morning for camp, which will run from December 12-22 in Niagara Falls. They will then confirm a final roster ahead of the tournament's start on Boxing Day."
"Danford is a guy his teammates like to rely on because he's rarely caught making a mistake distributing the puck. I saw Danford play both sides on the blueline last year, but I think he's got something going on the left side - it fits his shot better. Danford said he hopes to be like Chris Tanev, which I think is a solid comparison. He probably tops out as a No. 4 defenseman in Toronto, but I think he'll be quite reliable."
Ben Danford received an invitation to Team Canada's training camp for the 2026 World Junior Championships, with Hockey Canada announcing full camp invites and confirming a final roster before the tournament begins on Boxing Day. Danford was drafted 31st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after three seasons with the OHL's Oshawa Generals and a trade to the Brantford Bulldogs in October. He had five goals and 20 assists in 61 games as Generals captain and has 11 assists in 14 games with Brantford. The 19-year-old is noted for his defensive play, 6-foot-2, 200-lb frame, prior U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup experience, and a projection as a reliable, lower-pairing NHL defenseman who is expected to contend for a World Juniors roster spot.
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