Even If Ben Danford Makes the Leafs, Should He Start With

There is an interesting question facing Ben Danford this fall. What if he has a terrific training camp with the Maple Leafs? What if he looks like he belongs? What if he makes it very difficult for the coaching staff to send him back to the Toronto Marlies?

The Maple Leafs’ x-factor for Ben Danford could be Mark Giordano.

It might still be the right decision to send Danford to the Marlies. And one big reason is sitting right there: Mark Giordano. Giordano is joining the Marlies, and that could turn out to be a terrific development opportunity for Danford. The obvious temptation with a young defenceman is to get him into the NHL as quickly as possible. If he looks ready, why not let him play?

But development isn't always about getting there as quickly as possible. Sometimes it is about putting a young player in the right environment. Giordano has played a lot of hockey. He has been a captain, a top-pair defenceman, a veteran of some very difficult NHL games and, of course, he spent a couple of seasons with the Maple Leafs. He also has a reputation for being the kind of player who can help younger teammates.

It matters that Giordano knows his way around the Maple Leafs.

A young defenceman like Danford has plenty to learn. It's not just about skating, making the first pass or defending against NHL forwards. It's about reading the game. It's about knowing when to make the simple play. It's about positioning, communication and understanding what is happening two or three seconds before everybody else sees it.

Those are things a veteran like Giordano can teach. And there is something else here that shouldn't be overlooked. Giordano wouldn't just be watching Danford in practice. They could be talking. Asking and answering questions. Sitting beside each other. Learning how a veteran prepares for games and handles mistakes.

The kind of one-on-one mentorship Giordano could offer is hard to put a price on.

Toronto could certainly give Danford veteran NHL help, including a physical, stay-at-home defenceman like Chris Tanev. But there is a difference between being an NHL teammate and having a veteran around every day whose job, in part, is to coach and help younger players develop.

So even if Danford earns a long look with the Maple Leafs in training camp, there is a reasonable argument for starting him in the AHL. It wouldn't mean he failed to make the Maple Leafs.

It could mean the Leafs decided to give him something even more valuable: time, responsibility and a veteran like Giordano beside him. Sometimes taking one step back is actually the fastest way forward.