The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated left wing Patrik Laine off Injured Reserve and placed center/right wing Justin Danforth on Injured Reserve, General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Danforth suffered a torn labrum on October 22 vs. Pittsburgh and is expected to undergo surgery next Monday and make a full recovery in approximately six months.
Laine, 24, has missed the past six games with an elbow injury suffered in the club’s season-opening game at Carolina on October 12. He scored the club’s first goal of the campaign before suffering the injury in the second period. The 6-5, 206-pound native of Tampere, Finland has recorded 177 goals and 151 assists for 328 points in 408 career games with the Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets since making his NHL debut in 2016-17. Last season, he tallied 26-30-56 and 24 penalty minutes in 56 outings.
Danforth, 29, has recorded 2-1-3 with four penalty minutes and 10 shots on goal in six games this season. The Oshawa, Ontario native signed with Columbus as a free agent on May 3, 2021, made his NHL debut in 2021-22 and collected 10-4-14 with 10 PIM and 72 shots while averaging 12:34 of ice time in 45 contests. The 5-9, 190-pound forward added 2-3-5 in eight appearances with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters last season.