The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed forward Justin Danforth on Injured Reserve retroactive to December 10 and added goaltender Jet Greaves (emergency recall) and defenseman Denton Mateychuk to the roster from the Cleveland Monsters, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today. The team has also loaned forward James Malatesta to the Monsters.
Danforth, 31, has missed the last six games with a lower body injury suffered on December 10 vs. Philadelphia. He has registered three goals and five assists for eight points with eight penalty minutes and 49 shots on goal in 25 contests with the Blue Jackets in 2024-25. The 5-8, 188-pound native of Oshawa, Ontario has posted 25-26-51 and 48 penalty minutes in 147 career NHL appearances since signing as a free agent with Columbus on May 3, 2021.
Greaves, 23, has registered a 0-1-2 record with 3.30 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in three appearances with Columbus in 2024-25. He has gone 3-8-2 with a 3.41 GAA and .909 SV% in 13 career outings with Columbus since making his NHL debut on Apr. 4, 2023 at Toronto. He was originally signed by the Blue Jackets to a three-year, entry level contract on Feb. 20, 2022.
The 6-0, 190-pound Cambridge, Ontario native ranks 11th-T in the league in wins in 2024-25 with an 8-4-2 record, 3.21 GAA and .902 SV% in 15 contests. He has posted a 69-44-13 record with a 2.99 GAA, .905 SV% and five shutouts in 133 career AHL games with the Monsters since making his pro debut in 2021-22.
Mateychuk, 20, who made his pro debut in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, has registered 9-16-25 with 10 PIM, four power play goals and 54 shots on goal in 27 appearances with Cleveland in 2024-25. He leads AHL blueliners in goals and points and ranks third-T in assists and PPG entering Sunday’s contests. He was drafted by Columbus in the first round, 12th overall, at the 2022 NHL Draft.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba native racked up 41-174-215 with 82 PIM in 203 career games with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League from 2019-24. He was awarded the 2024 Bill Hunter Trophy as the WHL’s top defenseman and to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team after leading league blueliners in points-per-game (1.44) and finishing third in assists and points with 17-58-75 in 52 contests in 2023-24. The 5-11, 185-pound blueliner also led the club to the 2024 WHL championship for the first time in franchise history and was named the playoffs Most Valuable Player after collecting 11-19-30 in 20 outings.
Malatesta, 21, was recalled on December 18 and skated in two contests with the club. He has recorded 2-2-4 in 13 career appearances with Columbus since making his NHL debut at the end of the 2023-24 season. A native of Pointe-Claire, Quebec, he has added 18-16-34 with 104 PIM in 81 career appearances with the Monsters, including 6-6-12 with 25 PIM and three PPG in 25 outings in 2024-25. The 5-9, 193-pound winger was selected by Columbus in the fifth round, 133rd overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio and the FanDuel Sports Network app begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com
