The Cleveland Monsters announced Monday that the Columbus Blue Jackets assigned forward Justin Richards to the Monsters. In two appearances for Columbus this season, Richards supplied 0-1-1 and added 10-25-35 with 50 penalty minutes and a +4 rating in 54 games played with the Monsters this year.

A 5’11”, 190 lb. right-shooting native of Orlando, FL, Richards, 25, supplied 0-2-2 with an even rating in three NHL appearances for the New York Rangers and Columbus during the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons. In 141 career AHL appearances spanning parts of three seasons from 2020-23 with the Hartford Wolf Pack and Cleveland, Richards contributed 20-40-60 with 83 penalty minutes.

Prior to his professional career, Richards helped the University of Minnesota-Duluth claim the 2017-18 and 2018-19 NCAA National Championships and the 2018-19 NCHC Tournament Championship, supplying 26-40-66 with 38 penalty minutes and a +40 rating in 120 career NCAA appearances spanning three seasons from 2017-20. Richards was named to the 2018-19 NCAA All-Tournament Team and the 2018-19 NCHC Second All-Star Team, and was named the NCHC’s Best Defensive Forward in 2018-19 and 2019-20. In 2016-17, Richards logged 10-20-30 with 63 penalty minutes and a +2 rating in 59 appearances for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars.

Stay up to date on all Monsters news with the Monsters Mobile App presented by University Hospitals available to download at the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Be sure to follow the Monsters on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.