With all that’s going on around him, Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford feels as if he’s a step closer to making his dream come true.

Danford , and dozens of other prospects from around the NHL , are in Washington this week. They had their “rookie card” photo taken for Upper Deck on Wednesday.

“It’s kind of crazy to think that I’m here to get a hockey card made for me,” Danford said in a phone interview. “It’s pretty bizarre. When I was a kid, you dream of that kind of thing.”

Danford, the captain of the Oshawa Generals, collected a few cards growing up, though “nothing crazy.”

He and the fellow prospects also went through some tutorials Thursday with the NHL Players’ Association, which has experts on how to be a pro, how to watch your finances, how to handle pressure and other ed

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