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Ben Danford brushes off Gary Bettman after getting drafted by the Maple Leafs


Samer Dagher
Jun 30, 2024  (2:49 PM)
Toronto Maple Leafs management drafting Ben Danford
Photo credit: The Leafs Nation

Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Ben Danford became an instant fan-favorite on Friday night after his first interaction with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman went viral.

The Leafs selected Danford with the 31st overall pick in the draft, which originally belonged to the Edmonton Oilers before being traded to Toronto. The 6'1" defenseman from the OHL was clearly thrilled to be picked by the Leafs, eagerly shaking hands with several team members, including Brad Treliving and Craig Berube.
However, the moment that caught everyone's attention was when Danford appeared to snub Gary Bettman's handshake.
🚨 Maple Leafs draft pick Ben Danford with the Gary Bettman handshake snub

He's gonna fit in just fine! 😎
Fans around the league quickly rallied behind Danford, cheering for his apparent snub of the unpopular commissioner.
He just earned cool points from this Edmonton Oilers fan! Bettman screwed Canada again! Payback is coming!
This response from fans is no surprise, given Bettman's unpopularity. Danford scored one goal and had 33 points in 64 games with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. He followed that with four goals and 10 points in 21 playoff games. Expected to go in the second to third round, Danford's selection might seem like a stretch to some, but he is already proving why the Leafs chose him.

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