Danford earned two assists in OHL Brantford's 7-2 win over North Bay on Saturday.
Danford slumped over the middle of November with six straight scoreless outings. He's bounced back with five helpers over four games. For the season, the Maple Leafs prospect has one goal and 14 helpers over 22 appearances between Brantford and Oshawa.
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Maple Leafs' Joseph Woll: Surfaces on IR
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Woll (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
The Maple Leafs recalled Artur Akhtyamov from AHL Toronto in a corresponding move. Woll suffered the injury in Thursday's 5-1 win over Carolina. He has posted a 4-3-1 record with a 2.44 GAA and a .923 save percentage through eight appearances this season. Dennis Hildeby will probably see the bulk of the starts for the Maple Leafs until Woll or Anthony Stolarz (upper body) can return to the lineup.
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Maple Leafs' Artur Akhtyamov: Called up from AHL
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Akhtyamov was recalled from AHL Toronto on Saturday.
Akhtyamov will back up Dennis Hildeby against Montreal on Saturday after the Maple Leafs placed Joseph Woll on injured reserve with a lower-body injury in a corresponding move. Akhtyamov was 7-5-0 with a 3.04 GAA and an .896 save percentage in 12 AHL appearances before his recall.
Maple Leafs' Dennis Hildeby: Set to start Saturday
Rotowire
Hildeby is expected to get the starting nod against the Canadiens at home Saturday, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic reports.
Hildeby came into Thursday's clash versus Carolina in relief of the injured Joseph Woll (lower body), stopping all nine shots he faced. With Anthony Stolarz (upper body) also sidelined, the Leafs may have to give the 24-year-old Hildeby a heavy dose of starts heading into the Christmas break.
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Maple Leafs' Simon Benoit: Nabs helper in win
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Benoit logged an assist, four hits and a plus-2 rating in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Hurricanes.
Benoit snapped a 12-game point drought with the helper. The 27-year-old defenseman has been a steady presence the lineup this season, providing some physicality but little offense. He's at three assists, 17 shots on net, 62 hits, 37 blocked shots, 17 PIM and an even plus-minus rating through 25 appearances.
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Maple Leafs' Philippe Myers: Gets on scoresheet with helper
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Myers notched an assist in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Hurricanes.
The assist was Myers' first point of the season. He was scratched for six of seven games between Nov. 13-28, but he's since played in three straight contests. In addition to the helper, Myers has 14 shots on net, 15 hits, 18 blocked shots and a minus-6 rating over 13 appearances. He'll likely compete with Dakota Mermis for playing time while Brandon Carlo (lower body) and Chris Tanev (upper body) remain out.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Four-game, five-point streak
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Matthews scored a goal in Thursday's 5-1 win over Carolina.
Matthews finished a pass from Max Domi on a 2-on-1 that started in the Leafs' zone when Matthews Knies intercepted a pass and sprung his linemates. The elite pivot is on a four-game, five-point streak that includes two goals and 16 shots.
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Maple Leafs' Nicolas Roy: Five points in last four games
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Roy delivered a two-assist performance Tuesday in a 5-1 win over the Hurricanes.
The cerebral pivot has five points, including four assists, and six shots in his last four games. That total more than doubles Roy's output from his first 20 games (one goal, two three assists) in blue and white. Roy also has 32 face-off wins (62.7 percent) in this span.
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Maple Leafs' Max Domi: Three-game, five-assist streak
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Domi set up two goals Thursday in a 5-1 win over the Hurricanes.
Domi is skating on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, and he's making the most of the opportunity. He's on a three-game, five-assist run (four shots). Domi's fantasy value is tied to a top-six deployment, so grab him for the short term. He hasn't been able to keep a top-six gig in Toronto, but you might as well enjoy the output right now.
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Maple Leafs' Scott Laughton: Goals in back-to-back games
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Laughton scored a goal Thursday in a 5-1 win over Carolina.
The puck took a bizarre bounce off the backboards and bounced over Frederik Andersen and into the slot where Laughton slammed it past the stunned netminder. He has a goal in each of his last two games. It's a nice little burst for the pivot who has struggled to find his bearings in blue and white.
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Maple Leafs' Dennis Hildeby: Replaces injured starter for third
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Hildeby started in net for the third period Thursday and made nine saves in relief of Joseph Woll (lower body). Toronto won the game 5-1.
Starter Joseph Woll left the game after the second period. And with Anthony Stolarz on the shelf with an upper-body injury and with no sign of a return, Hildeby is suddenly the Leafs' starter. He's NHL-ready, but the size of the stage in Toronto is immense and the lights burn and leave scars on even the most resilient.
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Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies: Highlight reel goal in win
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Knies had a goal and an assist in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Hurricanes.
His goal was a highlight reel snipe. Knies poked the puck away from Shayne Gostisbehere at the Canes' offensive blue line and kept possession after the defender mauled him to the ice at Toronto's offensive blue line. He then fended off Sebastian Aho near the right hash marks before flipping a backhand over Frederik Andersen's glove. Knies' goal came early in the second period, and it made the score 3-1. He has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his last seven games (17 shots) and 28 points, including seven goals, in 24 games. Knies currently sits third on the team scoring list behind William Nylander and John Tavares.
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Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann: Third straight two-point game
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McMann scored twice Thursday in a 5-1 win over Carolina.
McMann scored on the Leafs' first shot of the game at 0:53 of the first period. He fired a short snapshot from the slot that hit the post, bounced off Frederik Andersen and trickled over the line. He added an empty net goal for good measure. It's McMann's third consecutive two-point game (three goals, three assists; seven shots). He's a valuable daily play in the short term.
Woll (lower body) won't return to Thursday's game versus the Hurricanes.
Woll stopped 22 of 23 shots over the first two periods of the contest before exiting. The Maple Leafs are also missing Anthony Stolarz (upper body), putting their goaltending group in a precarious spot. Dennis Hildeby took over in goal Thursday and would likely see a starting role if Woll is forced to miss additional time.
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Maple Leafs' Joseph Woll: Starting against Carolina
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Woll will start Thursday's road game against Carolina, Luke Fox of Sportsnet reports.
Woll has been inconsistent in recent outings, going 2-2-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .925 save percentage over his last four starts. He'll have a tough matchup against the Hurricanes, who rank sixth in the NHL with 3.40 goals per game this season.
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Maple Leafs' Matt Benning: Doubles output with three assists
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Benning recorded three assists in AHL Toronto's 4-3 win over Belleville on Wednesday.
Benning returned from a month-long absence Wednesday and erupted for his best game of the season. He's now at six assists, nine shots on net and a plus-2 rating over eight appearances in his second year with the Marlies. He's never had more than eight points in an AHL season, which came last year in 39 regular-season appearances, though his path back to the NHL isn't particularly clear once the Maple Leafs get healthier on the blue line.
Woll made 26 saves in a 4-1 win over Florida on Tuesday.
Sam Reinhart was the only kitty to beat Woll. The winger was alone on the slot and waited out the netminder, beating him over the glove while shorthanded. Woll is 3-3-1 with a 2.53 GAA and a .925 save percentage in seven starts. He has stabilized the Leafs' blue paint while Anthony Stolarz (upper body) is out.
