Blue Jackets to move Danforth to key role on the fourth line
PHILADELPHIA – Pascal Vincent is switching tools on his Swiss Army knife.
After nine games with Justin Danforth on the Blue Jackets’ top line, the Jackets’ coach is moving the versatile forward to a key role on the fourth line. Entering Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Danforth was expected to fill center Sean Kuraly’s spot while he’s out with an abdominal injury. That also frees up a spot on the top line for Jack Roslovic to reunite with Johnny Gaudreau, a role he’d excelled at before fracturing an ankle Nov. 12.
Danforth also produced while playing with Gaudreau and rookie center Adam Fantilli, but his versatility gives Vincent a way to make two effective lineup tweaks without much concern they’ll backfire.
“He’s like a Swiss Army knife ... he can do anything,” Vincent said. “He can play power play, (penalty kill), top line, fourth line and he’s a low maintenance guy. He competes hard. He understands what he needs to do. He knows who he is.”
Danforth is now the center for a checking line the Jackets depend upon to flip the ice and hound opposing skill lines. He’ll be the top faceoff taker and add another puck hunter to a line that’s expected to include Alexandre
Texier and Mathieu Olivier at the wing positions. That’s not a transition many skilled players would enjoy, but Danforth has the right attitude and grit to make it work.
He’s earned a lot of trust just two years after going from college hockey to the ECHL to Finland and Russia before making his NHL debut at age 27 with the Jackets.
“He’s an older player,” Vincent said. “He understands what he’s good at, and that’s what he brings. He’s also very consistent, so when you do that, you create trust – not only with the coaches but with teammates. So, wherever I play him, he makes people around him better.”
Danforth has nine goals, nine assists and 18 points this season. Through 39 games, he’s on pace to score 19 goals, add 19 assists and finish with 38 points over a full 82-game season. Not bad for a guy who only costs the Jackets $975,000 against the NHL salary cap this season and $1.1 million in 2024-25.