Nov 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) skates with the puck during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

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Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Justin Danforth From Injury Reserve

Justin Danforth returns to the Blue Jackets lineup after a stint on injured reserve, bolstering their forward depth for upcoming games.

General manager Don Waddell announced that the Columbus Blue Jackets have activated forward Justin Danforth from injured reserve. Danforth is set to return to the lineup tonight against the Islanders, marking his first game in 18 outings.

The 31-year-old suffered a lower-body injury during a 5-3 loss to the Flyers on December 10 and missed the first three games of the season recovering from offseason wrist surgery. So far, this has limited him to just 25 of the Blue Jackets’ 46 games.

Danforth has become a reliable presence in Columbus’ lineup when healthy, contributing three goals and five assists this season while logging significant shorthanded minutes. The versatile forward, often playing center despite being a natural winger, has also taken 280 faceoffs this season, winning 48.2% of them.

DANNY'S BACK! 💥

We've activated F Justin Danforth off Injured Reserve!

📝 https://t.co/y2MSSuIccx @RuoffMortgage | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/TSbVsVZw7Q
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 20, 2025

An NHL late bloomer, Danforth made his debut with Columbus in the 2021-22 season at the age of 28. Over 147 career games, he’s tallied 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points. Playing on a one-year, $1.1MM extension, he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Also Read: New Jersey Devils Reassign Brian Halonen and Colton White to AHL, Hurricanes Send Ty Smith to Minors

Despite his smaller stature, Danforth plays with speed and grit. His aggressive, high-paced style ranks him in the 70th percentile for speed bursts over 20 mph this season, and he finished fifth on the team in hits last year with 109.

Danforth’s return adds depth to a Blue Jackets team still missing key forwards like Yegor Chinakhov, Sean Monahan, and captain Boone Jenner. Columbus has remained competitive despite these injuries, going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and currently holding the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The team made space for Danforth’s activation last week by demoting goaltender Jet Greaves. He’s expected to slot into a fourth-line role alongside Sean Kuraly and Mikael Pyyhtia, with Kevin Labanc sitting out.

Image Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Anamika Shrivastava

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