Maybe Justin Danforth just needed a chance.
When Columbus Blue Jackets bottom-six winger Brendan Gaunce left Tuesday night's game against the New Jersey Devils after just five shifts with an apparent injury, the team was forced to play with just 11 forwards.
And while that meant a step-up in ice time for all remaining 11 forwards, arguably no player benefited more than Danforth, a 28-year old who is playing in his first NHL season after a journeyman career.
"I thought Danforth thrived in that role tonight", said Brad Larsen. "He could have been our best player tonight. The energy provided, he had some great looks, some great opportunities... I really like what he's bringing to our team".
The 15:25 that Danforth played was a career-high through 19 NHL games. Prior to Tuesday night, he had averaged 10:35. And while he was held off the scoresheet, he made the most of his ice time. These three plays - one from each period - do a great job illustrating the type of player that Danforth can be (stick taps to InStat for the video.
1st Period - Hard Forecheck Leads To Goal
A standard neutral zone play ends with Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger getting the puck deep in the Devils zone. Teams do this to force the other team to play 200-feet worth of mistake-free hockey to score. Max Domi pursues P.K. Subban, who goes 'D-to-D' to his partner Colton White. As soon as this happens, Danforth activates and attacks White from behind, a borderline play that probably benefited the 5'9", 185 lb Danforth.
The hit causes a turnover, and eventually, the puck goes from Domi to Sillinger, who makes an excellent seam pass to find Jake Christiansen on the weak side of the ice. The 22-year old defenseman makes no mistake for his first NHL goal.
Danforth's forecheck was instrumental to this play. Perhaps lost in the mix on this play is that Subban went over (during play) to defend White, which may have given the Blue Jackets the extra time and space needed to create the goal. While Danforth wasn't credited with an assist on the play, he was truly the catalyst for the goal.
2nd Period - Danforth Deflects Puck Out Of Play
There's probably no more helpless feeling for a forward than playing a fast-break rush against. It happens seldomly, but when it does, it can be a nervy couple of seconds.
On this play, a Patrik Laine turnover and change on the power play allowed the Devils to counter quickly. Danforth recognized the rush opportunity quickly and skates alongside the puck carrier, Jimmy Vesey. Vesey drops the puck to Michael McLeod, who quickly leaves it to the trailer, Subban. Subban winds up for a slapshot, and Danforth is able to deflect the puck out of play.
This may not seem like a monumental play, but then again, it could have easily saved the Devils from swinging the momentum by scoring a game-tying, shorthanded goal. But Danforth was there to bail out PP1.
3rd Period - The Shift
Holding a lead in the third period against the Devils' top line, Danforth's primary goal is to prevent the visiting team from sustaining offensive zone pressure. The best way to do that is to keep them from entering the offensive zone at all.
Angling against a player as shifty and dynamic as Jack Hughes is a tall task. But Danforth agitates to perfection, forcing him wide and then twice further back into his own zone. Eventually, Emil Bemstrom and Sillinger join in on the fun. Then, once the Devils finally think they're able to get a clean breakout, Danforth is there - again! - to lay the body on Tomas Tatar, squashing the play again. Shifts like that bring back memories of past fan favorites like Matt Calvert and other wrecking balls.
Let's face it, Danforth is unlikely to ever crack it as a top-six forward in the NHL. But games like Tuesday night do enough to convince me that he could definitely play a role in the NHL. He's a pending UFA at the end of the season, and the trade deadline is less than three weeks away. I won't pretend to guess what - if any - trade market would look like for a 28-year old 'rookie' with 4-2-6 in 19 games. But my guess is that GMs around the league, including Jarmo Kekalainen, look at Danforth differently now than they did prior to this season.
