Toronto Maple Leafs rookie prospect Ben Danford sustained an injury during Thursday’s practice, and an update on his condition has since been provided.

After an awkward collision with the boards, Danford was slow to get up and eventually exited practice. This raised concerns, not only for fans, but also brought back memories of Roni Hirvonen’s previous practice injury, where he suffered a concussion that sidelined him for a while.

TSN’s Mark Masters, who witnessed the incident, shared it on his X account:

Initially, there was no further information aside from Danford being taken off as a precaution. However, Leafs prospects head coach John Gruden provided an update on his condition:

“He’s being evaluated right now. Hopefully, he’ll be OK,” said Gruden via TSN’s Mark Masters.

Gruden, who also coaches the Toronto Marlies, is responsible for overseeing the development of the Leafs’ prospects. Danford’s injury casts doubt on his participation in the upcoming Prospect Showcase against Montreal. It would be wise for Toronto to proceed cautiously and ensure Danford is fully healthy before putting him back into action. There’s no need to rush him, as the team knows his potential.

While the situation is unfortunate, we can only hope it’s a minor setback and nothing too serious, as the Leafs can’t afford to lose another promising young player for any extended period.