Photo by: Ben Jackson
Danforth Nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
5/16/2022 3:50:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
First player in SHU history to be nominated for the award
COLUMBUS, Ohio- The Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated '17 alumnus Justin Danforth for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the club announced on Tuesday. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
"It was a huge honor for me to be nominated for this award" stated Danforth. "It's been a hard road to get to this point in my career and it feels good to know that the hard work is paying off."
Danforth mentioned how Sacred Heart taught and mentored him the values that the Bill Masterton Trophy symbolizes. "Playing at SHU for four years made me a better player off and on the ice. SHU made sure we were strong in the academic side and more active in our community."
The 29-year-old made his NHL debut with Columbus during the 2021-22 season at the age of 28 on November 15 against Detroit and notched his first career goal in the following game at Arizona on November 18. He has recorded nine goals and four assists for 13 points with eight penalty minutes and 68 shots, while averaging 12:26 of ice time in 42 games in his first NHL campaign with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
After signing to a one-year contract with Columbus on May 4, 2021, he agreed to a two-year contract extension last month.
The Oshawa, Ontario native played four seasons for the Pioneers from 2013-17 and is the first player in program history to appear in an NHL game. While at SHU, he registered 42 goals, 82 assists for 124 points in 147 career games from 2013-17. He was named First Team All-Atlantic Hockey in his senior season after leading the team with 32 points, by tallying 22 assists and 10 goals.
He split his first two professional seasons between the American Hockey League and ECHL before joining Lukko in Finland's Liiga, where he went on to notch 45-67-112, 99 penalty minutes and a cumulative +33 plus/minus rating in two seasons from 2018-20.
Danforth 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 ranked second in goals and fourth-T in assists with 27-33-60 in 56 appearances. He spent his third season overseas with Vityaz Podolsk in Russia's KHL in 2020-21 and ranked fifth-T in the league in power play goals, sixth in points and seventh-T in goals with 23-32-55 and 12 PPG in 58 appearances.
"This award is about fighting through adversity and believing in yourself" stated Sacred Heart head coach C.J Marottolo. "Justin always had a competitive spirit in him that would drive him through hard times. People who are competitive are always looking to get better and never cheat the process no matter how unfair it seems at times--that is Justin," added Marottolo. "He is an inspiration to all of us here at Sacred Heart. We are so proud he has been nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the NHL."
The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected by a poll of the 32 chapters of the PHWA at the conclusion of the regular season. The trophy was first presented by the NHL writers in 1968 in honor of the late Bill Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited the qualities for which the trophy embodies, and who died on Jan. 15, 1968. Last season's winner was Oskar Lindblom of the Philadelphia Flyers.
"It was a huge honor for me to be nominated for this award" stated Danforth. "It's been a hard road to get to this point in my career and it feels good to know that the hard work is paying off."
Danforth mentioned how Sacred Heart taught and mentored him the values that the Bill Masterton Trophy symbolizes. "Playing at SHU for four years made me a better player off and on the ice. SHU made sure we were strong in the academic side and more active in our community."
The 29-year-old made his NHL debut with Columbus during the 2021-22 season at the age of 28 on November 15 against Detroit and notched his first career goal in the following game at Arizona on November 18. He has recorded nine goals and four assists for 13 points with eight penalty minutes and 68 shots, while averaging 12:26 of ice time in 42 games in his first NHL campaign with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
After signing to a one-year contract with Columbus on May 4, 2021, he agreed to a two-year contract extension last month.
The Oshawa, Ontario native played four seasons for the Pioneers from 2013-17 and is the first player in program history to appear in an NHL game. While at SHU, he registered 42 goals, 82 assists for 124 points in 147 career games from 2013-17. He was named First Team All-Atlantic Hockey in his senior season after leading the team with 32 points, by tallying 22 assists and 10 goals.
He split his first two professional seasons between the American Hockey League and ECHL before joining Lukko in Finland's Liiga, where he went on to notch 45-67-112, 99 penalty minutes and a cumulative +33 plus/minus rating in two seasons from 2018-20.
Danforth 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 ranked second in goals and fourth-T in assists with 27-33-60 in 56 appearances. He spent his third season overseas with Vityaz Podolsk in Russia's KHL in 2020-21 and ranked fifth-T in the league in power play goals, sixth in points and seventh-T in goals with 23-32-55 and 12 PPG in 58 appearances.
"This award is about fighting through adversity and believing in yourself" stated Sacred Heart head coach C.J Marottolo. "Justin always had a competitive spirit in him that would drive him through hard times. People who are competitive are always looking to get better and never cheat the process no matter how unfair it seems at times--that is Justin," added Marottolo. "He is an inspiration to all of us here at Sacred Heart. We are so proud he has been nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the NHL."
The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected by a poll of the 32 chapters of the PHWA at the conclusion of the regular season. The trophy was first presented by the NHL writers in 1968 in honor of the late Bill Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited the qualities for which the trophy embodies, and who died on Jan. 15, 1968. Last season's winner was Oskar Lindblom of the Philadelphia Flyers.
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