While there’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Columbus Blue Jackets’ top-six forward group, there’s undoubtedly going to be some heavy competition in the bottom-six as well. Eric Robinson has been a constant on the fourth line since he joined the team nearly half a decade ago. He’s a fast player who is often able to create opportunities both offensively and defensively that others are unable to due to his speed. Offensively though he tends to not capitalize on a majority of his chances, especially when it comes to breakaways.
Justin Danforth on the other hand was signed as an unrestricted free agent out of Europe a couple of years ago and has been impressive in his two seasons with the organization. Unfortunately, his second season ended prematurely after only six games due to a torn labrum. He’s not as big or as fast as Robinson, but he has a strong work ethic and higher offensive upside while still being reliable on the defensive side of the ice. Another key thing to consider for Danforth is his versatility; he can play any forward position on any line and be a serviceable temporary patch. Of course, he wouldn’t be the best option to play on the top line, but he’s shown in the past that if necessary he can do it and keep up with elite players.
With both players only having a single year left on their contracts and roster spots getting more and more sparse in coming seasons, it’s likely that only one will be extended and there’s a possibility neither are. The question then becomes, if one of the two does get another contract in Columbus, which player is more deserving?
The Case For and Against Robinson
Robinson has been a steady player in the Blue Jackets’ bottom-six for years at this point. Importantly, he was one of the only healthy players on the team last season and was consistently on the ice, which is a key aspect for an organization plagued with injuries. More often than not, he’ll be on the ice, creating opportunities and throwing the body. From an offensive standpoint, the 2022-23 season was one of his best; however, he’s likely already at his ceiling. His combination of size and speed is a useful tool for essentially any team’s bottom-six forward group. There’s a chance that Mike Babcock may be able to get more out of him as well depending on how strong of a fit he is in the new system.
More than likely, Robinson won’t be more than a 25-point defensive winger moving forward. While that’s an important piece to any hockey team, there are quite a few people who can fill that role in every free agent class and some remain unsigned every year. He’s a useful piece but his lack of versatility makes him an easily replaceable one as well. He does have one advantage over Danforth entering the upcoming season: he’s expected to be on the opening night roster. It’s Robinson’s spot to lose which essentially gives him a small head start. One disadvantage will be his salary, it’s probable that he will expect a higher salary based on his increased offensive production since he signed his last extension. While he currently has a cap hit of $1.6 million, it will be hard to justify giving a pure fourth-line player more than that moving forward.
The Case For and Against Danforth
Danforth had a strong rookie season in 2021-22, despite his age (28) at the time. He’s had an unconventional path to the NHL and as a result, he’s not likely to have a long career at that level. Missing nearly the entirety of his second year due to injury set him back, and the emergence of younger players has put his spot with the team in jeopardy. In regards to the fans, many have forgotten about him since he hasn’t been with the organization long, and because he has been on the shelf for nearly a year, he isn’t in their short-term memory either. It’s a difficult situation for a player who has fought very hard to reach the NHL, however, his work ethic will make it difficult for Jarmo Kekalainen and Mike Babcock to keep him off the team.
Danforth’s versatility gives him a major advantage over Robinson. He can play any forward position with confidence and can play essentially anywhere in the lineup and be serviceable. He’s never going to be a star, but there’s not much more you can ask from a depth player. His offensive upside is also higher than that of Robinson, which can certainly be beneficial for a team that tends to struggle with secondary scoring. Danforth is essentially a perfect fourth-liner in the modern-day NHL, his size may hold him back a bit and he needs to stay healthy. If he can do that though, he’s the type of player the Blue Jackets should hold onto.
Danforth is a few years older than Robinson, and he lacks the same level of speed and physicality that the latter brings to the table. As previously mentioned, it’s difficult to know if Danforth will be able to stay healthy consistently either considering the small sample size we’ve seen from him so far. There’s more risk with retaining Danforth over Robinson, but he does offer a bit higher potential reward.
Related: Blue Jackets Could Have Two Legitimate Calder Contenders
Both Robinson and Danforth are players who can be effective in the bottom half of the lineup, but their chances to stay in Columbus for the long run are decreasing year by year with every new prospect who joins the pipeline. It would be surprising if there was a way for both of them to stay following the 2023-24 season and as a result, one, or both of them will almost certainly be on their way out in the near future.
