Hockey / OJHL GRAD DANFORTH MAKES NHL DEBUT IN COLUMBUS WIN

OJHL GRAD DANFORTH MAKES NHL DEBUT IN COLUMBUS WIN

Date:  Source: Ontario Junior A Hockey League

Former Ontario Junior Hockey League all-star Justin Danforth made his NHL debut last night.

Danforth, 28, played 7:23 and posted a team-high six hits in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings in Columbus.

Danforth played three full seasons (2010-13) with the Cobourg Cougars of the OJHL after a three-game audition as an AP from the Oshawa Generals U18 team the previous year.

The Blue Jackets signed Danforth to a one-year contract on May 3, 2021. Since 2017, he’d been playing in the minors or overseas.

"I thought Danforth, for his first NHL game, I noticed him," Columbus head coach Brad Larsen told the Columbus Dispatch. "I think he had (six) hits. He didn’t get a ton of ice time, but I noticed him when he was on the ice, and that’s what I want. I want him to get noticed on the ice."

Teammates also took note.

"It’s always cool for a group when a rookie comes in, let alone a guy that’s been around the block like he has," Jackets’ defenceman Zach Werenski told The Dispatch. "He’s been everywhere, putting the work in trying to get here. He finally had his dream come true to play an NHL game and he played really good tonight. Had some chances. I was impressed with it. It’s always fun to get a guy like that here with some new energy and a guy that's earned it.”

One of the last cuts of Blue Jackets' camp this fall, Danforth played in eight games with Cleveland of the AHL, posting two goals and three assists, before being called up this week. 

"He was most deserving," Larsen said pre-game. "I don't know a lot about him other than camp, and I thought he had an average camp and he admitted to that, too. It's been a while since he's been there." 

Danforth doesn't bring a ton of size at 5-9, 180, but he wasn't afraid to make a play in camp and has some skill to go with the energy he brings. The biggest transition from Europe in his return to North America has been the rink size and switching from centre to wing, things he worked on in Cleveland. 

"I think the way I play at this level, I'm an energy guy that can make the most out of an opportunity," Danforth said before his big-league debut. "I find that I am a smaller guy, but I play pretty physical and play hard on pucks. Just try to do anything to get the guys going on the bench and some energy in the group and do what I can." 

In 2012-13, Danforth scored 22 goals and added 34 assists in 43 games and was named to the OJHL’s second all-star team. He represented the OJHL on Team Canada East at the World Jr. A Challenge in 2012 and 2013.

The Oshawa native has notched 6-6-12 and 16 penalty minutes in 29 career AHL games with the Monsters in Cleveland, Rochester Americans and Bridgeport Sound Tigers since making his pro debut in 2016-17. He tallied 23-32-55 in 58 games with Vityaz Podolsk of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2020-21. He ranked sixth in the league in points, seventh-T in goals and 11th-T in assists, leading his team in each category.

Danforth registered 45-67-112, 99 penalty minutes and a cumulative +33 plus/minus rating over two campaigns with Lukko in Finland's top professional league (Liiga) from 2018-20. He captured the Lasse Oksanen Award as the League's Best Player, the Golden Helmet (top scorer) and was named to the All-Star Team in 2019-20 after leading the league in points and ranking second in goals and fourth-T in assists with 27-33-60 in 56 appearances. He played college hockey at Sacred Heart University, where he totaled 42-82-124 in 147 career games from 2013-17. He’s the first player from the Fairfield, CT school to make the NHL.

-with files/photo from the Columbus Blue Jackets and files from the Ontario Hockey Association