Photo by Phil Williams
Story by Jeff Gard/Today’s Northumberland
Justin Danforth was a standout player and fan-favourite during three Ontario Junior Hockey League seasons with the Cobourg Cougars.
Now 26-years-old, Danforth continues to make a strong impression everywhere he plays and right now that’s overseas.
Currently playing in the top league in Finland, SM-Liiga, Danforth not only leads the Lukko Rauma team in scoring with 14 goals and 17 assists in 31 games, he also sits eighth overall in league scoring.
His successful campaign thus far also earned Danforth a roster spot to represent Canada at the annual Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland. The invitational tournament, now in its 93rd year, features a Canadian select team along with five European club teams including host HC Davos.
Held between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve every year, Canada captured its 16th Spengler Cup championship – the most in tournament history – with a 4-0 win over HC Ocelari Trinec from the Czech Republic on Tuesday. Danforth earned an assist in a 6-0 semifinal win over TPS Turku from Finland.
“It was an honour to be invited to the tournament…means a lot to me for my hard work to be recognized and play in a tournament that I’ve been watching since I was a kid,” Danforth says. “To win the Spengler Cup is something I will never forget.”
Canada’s roster included a number of former NHL players including Kris Versteeg, Eric Fehr, Scottie Upshall, Daniel Winnik and David Desharnais. The head coach was Craig MacTavish and the assistant coach was Paul Coffey while Sean Burke was the general manager and Shane Doan was also part of the management group.
“Overall the experience was tremendous,” Danforth said. “Getting to play with hockey players I watched growing up and coaches with a huge amount of experience in the NHL was surreal sometimes.”
Danforth, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound forward, played 134 regular season games for the Cougars from 2009-2013, registering 57 goals and 84 assists for 141 points. He added 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 24 playoff games.
“I think the Cobourg organization taught me a lot about character of being a good person on and off the ice,” he says. “I also learned a lot more about the smaller details of the game from the coaches over my years there.”
His stellar play earned Danforth a scholarship to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut where he played four years for the Pioneers hockey club. In 147 NCAA games, he tallied 42 goals and 82 assists for 124 points.
Following graduation from Sacred Heart, Danforth’s pro hockey career began in the spring of 2017 as he played three ECHL games for the Reading Royals and six AHL games – one for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and five for the Rochester Americans.
During the 2017-2018 season, Danforth played 15 more AHL games for the Americans and also had a big campaign for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones scoring 28 goals and assisting on 31 in 44 games.
Prior to last season, though, Danforth made a big change as he signed to play for Lukko.
“When the opportunity in Finland was presented to me I was very intrigued,” he says. “Finland has always had a great professional league here and I was ready to take the next step in my career and head to to Europe.”
Danforth had a strong first season with Lukko, registering 18 goals and 34 assists in 59 games and continues to produce now in his second campaign.
“Going to Europe was always a goal of mine and I thought it was the right time to make that transition,” Danforth added of his decision to sign with Lukko. “The move to Finland has been fairly easy. The people in Finland are much like Canadians and it is a very easy-going lifestyle over here.”
Danforth is once again a fan-favourite with his new club. He received a message on Twitter with a picture showing a young Lukko fan who received his jersey as a Christmas present and was waiting for his signature. Danforth replied to the post, promising to sign the jersey as soon as he returned from the Spengler Cup.
“I think that’s one of the best parts of playing sports, getting to meet all these different people along the way…seeing the impact you have on the younger generations wherever you are playing,” he says. “It takes me two seconds to sign a jersey for a kid, but the smile you see on the kid’s face after signing the jersey is awesome.”
Meanwhile, playing at the Spengler Cup tournament was not the only Christmas present for Danforth. It was also the opportunity for the Oshawa native to share the experience with family and friends who made the trip to Switzerland.
“I am very happy that I got the chance to share the experience with them, the people closest to me who have supported my dreams from day one.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
