The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Justin Danforth to a one-year, $1.1 million contract extension through the 2024-25 NHL season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.
Danforth, 30, has recorded 12 goals and five assists for 17 points with 14 penalty minutes and 82 shots, while averaging 12:40 of ice time in 51 career games with the Blue Jackets since making his NHL debut in 2021-22. He originally signed with the club as a free agent on May 3, 2021.
A native of Oshawa, Ontario, he collected 2-1-3 and four penalty minutes in six games with the Blue Jackets before missing the final 76 games of the 2022-23 campaign due to a shoulder injury. He registered 10-4-14 in 45 games in his first NHL campaign with Columbus in 2021-22.
The 5-8, 188-pound forward has added 6-6-12 and 16 penalty minutes in 29 career American Hockey League games with the Cleveland Monsters, Rochester Americans and Bridgeport Sound Tigers since making his professional debut in 2016-17. He spent the 2020-21 season with Vityaz Podolsk in Russia’s KHL, posting 23-32-55 and 12 power play goals in 58 appearances. He recorded 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.
Danforth posted 29-33-62 and 42 penalty minutes in 47 career ECHL contests with the Cincinnati Cyclones and Reading Royals and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year and to the Second All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team in 2017-18 after tallying 28-31-59 in 44 outings with Cincinnati. He played collegiately at Sacred Heart University, registering 42-82-124 in 147 career games from 2013-17.
The Blue Jackets open their 23rd regular season vs. the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, October 12. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio begins with an expanded edition of the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6 p.m. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
