Blue Jackets’ Danforth’s Rise Provides Great Example to Many

It’s not often a player makes their NHL debut in their late 20s. It’s even more rare that a player makes their debut like that and then carves out a role on the team’s top line. But that is exactly the path Justin Danforth has created for himself.

Thanks to opportunity, Danforth has found himself playing on the Blue Jackets’ number-one line of late with Johnny Gaudreau and Adam Fantilli. Although they’re still new together and trying to get used to each other, they are enjoying some success together.

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None of this is possible had Danforth not worked his tail off at each stop in his career. What road has he traveled to get to the Blue Jackets?

• 2013-17: Sacred Heart University
• 2017-18: Two ECHL stops in Reading and Cincinnati along with two AHL stops in Bridgeport and Rochester.
• 2018-20: Played for Lukko in Finnish Liiga where he scored 45 goals in 115 regular season games.
• 2020-21: Played for Vityaz Podolsk where he scored 55 points in 58 games in the KHL.
• 2021-present: Playing in the Blue Jackets’ organization and has 19 goals in his first 84 NHL games.

Danforth has enjoyed success at every stop along the way. He is now making an impact on the Blue Jackets both on and off the ice.

Danforth Has Earned Trust

When Boone Jenner went down with injury, the original thought was that it would be a devastating blow and it would be very hard to overcome his loss. Not that the Blue Jackets can replace a player like Jenner, but Danforth being compared to Jenner at this point will certainly open some eyes.

Head coach Pascal Vincent has said part of the reason he likes Danforth on the top line is because of everything he brings to the table. He’s even called Danforth the closest resemblance to Jenner they have.

“Well, he’s like a Swiss Army knife really,” Vincent said of Danforth. “He can do anything. He can power play, PK, top line, fourth line, low maintenance guy. He competes hard. He understands what he needs to do. He knows who he is. He’s an older player. He understands what he’s good at and that’s what he brings. He’s very consistent.”

“So when you do that, you create trust not only with the coaches, but with the teammates. So where ever I play him, he makes people around him better. He can play center. He can play wing. He’s good on faceoffs. He’s a guy we like to use in different roles. But he’s…