Marrelli, Danford, Sennecke Return: Adds Boost to Generals Lineup

Luca Marrelli, Ben Danford, and Beckett Sennecke have all returned to the Generals after participating in various NHL training camps. Each of them with new goals, after getting their first taste of professional hockey at the NHL level. 

Luca Marrelli

Luca Marrelli is back with the Oshawa Generals after a tremendous season in 2023-24. As a defenceman, he ranked amongst the top 10 in points, scoring six goals and 51 assists in 67 regular-season games. He added 13 points in 21 playoff games during their run to the OHL Cup final.

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected him 86th overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft in the summer. He was named to the Blue Jackets rookie camp in July, where he played very well, and was invited to NHL training camp at the beginning of September.

Unfortunately, just a week into the Columbus Blue Jackets camp, Marrelli was cut. However, as he stated in an interview with Jeff Svoboda, he knew making the team would be a long shot.

“Obviously, it’s a step forward from everything you’ve done in the past, and it really is an eye-opener to see how good everybody is and how dialled everybody is. Its a really good learning experience for myself. I’m going to try to take as much as I can and try to take it back to my junior team in Oshawa.” (via NHL.com)

Photo Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch

Marrelli kept his word about taking what he’s learned back to Oshawa, and he is off to a hot start to the regular season. In the first five games, Marrelli has scored three goals and added three assists, one of his goals being the game-winning goal against Kingston to open the season.

Marrelli has also been great on the defensive side of the puck to start the year. His description of himself at the 2024 NHL post-draft interview is coming to fruition. “A smart, two-way guy. I play well on both sides of the puck, and I think the biggest thing for me is my patience, poise, ability to distribute the puck, find lanes and turn defence into offence.”

All those things have been displayed in Marrelli’s game thus far. His ability to close the gap on his opponent and use his long reach to strip the puck while in his defensive zone is elite. Marrelli’s vision up the ice also allows him to break the puck out quickly and ensure the Generals are in their opponent’s zone rather than vice versa.

He has also been a critical contributor and quarterback of the powerplay unit and has played on the penalty kill to start the regular season. Expect Marrelli to be amongst the top OHL defenceman in scoring again this season.

Ben Danford

The Oshawa Generals are excited to welcome back defenceman Ben Danford after his training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs! 

Danford suffered a concussion during his time with the Maple Leafs after a hit from free agent invite Marshall Finnie and didn’t see ice time while he recovered from injury. He was seen skating with John Tavares, Calle Jarnkrok, Alex Steeves, Jani Hakanpaa, and Conor Dewar, all recovering from injuries. 

Photo Credit: Steven Ellis/DailyFaceoff

Last year with the Generals, Danford recorded 33 points in 64 games, finishing the regular season third amongst total scoring by a Defenseman. Danford also recorded 10 playoff points in 21 games, as the Generals went to the J Ross Robertson Cup Finals, losing to the London Knights in four games.

He is expected to be one of the top-producing players on the Gens’ blue line this year and will play a big role in the team’s hunt for its 14th OHL title. In his OHL career, Danford has always produced above 20 points in a season and will look to outpace his career-high 33 points alongside another NHL draftee and defenceman, Luca Marrelli. 

Danford was drafted in the first round, 31st overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs this past NHL Draft in Las Vegas, alongside fellow General Beckett Sennecke, who was picked third overall by the Anaheim Ducks.

Danford was named Generals captain after joining the team three games into the regular season. In his first two games back, he has yet to register a point.  

Beckett Sennecke 

Beckett Sennecke has returned! 

Sennecke will look to build on last season’s performance, in which he finished over a point per game with 27 goals and 41 assists for 68 points in 63 regular-season games. He then put up an impressive 22 points in 16 playoff games.

Sennecke became the talk of the 2024 NHL entry draft for his reaction to being selected 3rd overall at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

“As you could see by my face, I was pretty shocked,” Sennecke explained in the post-NHL entry draft interview. “I heard ‘from Oshawa’ before my name, so it was just kind of like butterflies and chills.”

Sennecke joins Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier, as young, important pieces of the Anaheim Ducks’ rebuild.

Photo credit: Paul Rodriguez/The Orange County Register 

Unfortunately, Sennecke sustained a foot fracture while training in early September, and he could not participate fully in the Anaheim Ducks training camp. He joined the team for practice on September 30th and made his preseason debut on October 2nd. In his pre-season debut, he played alongside Mason McTavish and Robbi Fabbri. Sennecke did not register a point in the Ducks’ 5-2 win, but he scored an unreal goal in the exhibition shootout.

After a long training camp with the Anaheim Ducks, Sennecke is bringing back NHL-level experience to the Oshawa Generals organization.

“I’m the third-overall pick now, that comes with high expectations”, Sennecke explained to Anaheim media before his first preseason game. Expect Sennecke to reach a new level this OHL season. His ability to beat defenders one-on-one is second to known, and he has one of the best wrist shots in his draft classes.

With Sennecke, Danford, and Marrelli returning, the Generals get the boost they need early in the season. 

Get tickets to our next home game on Friday, Oct. 18, when your Generals take on their rival Peterborough Petes. Puck drop at 7:05 p.m.