"“I was pretty stunned to be honest,” Danford said. “The odds weren't very good to get first overall. We were out having dinner. I looked on the TV, and I thought they were talking about when they got the first overall pick in 2016. That's crazy. That's great. To bring in another young guy, and someone I could click with, whoever it is, I'm looking forward to meeting them. I think it's great for the whole organization.”"
"Danford and McKenna were teammates at the 2026 World Juniors, where they won bronze with Canada. After spending time together last winter, Danford provided a brief scouting report of McKenna's game. “Gav's a great guy. When it comes to skill, I don't know how much more you can get than Gav has. The way he thinks the game, hands, his skating, shot, he's got everything going for him. He's a great guy off the ice as well. If he were to come to Toronto, I'd be pretty happy with that for sure.”"
"“He's a really skilled player. Obviously, I don't know him as a guy. I've seen a bit of video on him and stuff. He looks like a good player, but who knows?”"
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford plans a concerted push to make next year’s roster. After the team won the rights to the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is expected to join the organization next fall. Danford, a 2024 first-round pick, reacted with surprise at the lottery outcome and said it is exciting to add another young player he could connect with. Danford and McKenna were teammates at the 2026 World Juniors, where Canada won bronze. Danford described McKenna as an elite talent with strong skating, hands, and shot, and also praised his character off the ice.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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