A total of 9 players have jersey #20 since the start of the franchise
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had many players don the Union Blue in its history. The #20 has only been worn a handful of times though.
Let's look at the players that have worn the number.
Who Wore It First?
- Martin Špaňhel - Špaňhel played 10 games for Columbus during the first two years of the franchise and scored two goals. He never played another game in the NHL after leaving for Europe in 2002. He returned to North America in 2011 and played in the ECHL but then retired soon after. Nowadays he's the Commissioner of the Columbus Adult Hockey League.
Who Wore It Last?
- Riley Nash - Played 179 games for the Jackets. He scored 10 goals and 33 points during his time in Columbus. He was traded to Toronto in 2021 and has bounced around since, playing for Winnipeg, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and New York. He's currently in year two of a deal with the New York Rangers.
Who Wore It Best?
- Kristian Huselius - Huselius played 189 games for Columbus and had 142 points. After 662 games in the NHL, he left for Sweden where he would retire.
Others That Have Worn #20
- Lasse Pirjetä - Pirjetä played 108 games and had 31 points for the Jackets. He played his final NHL games with Pittsburgh before returning to Europe, where he retired in 2008.
- Mike Rupp - The Cleveland, Ohio native played 39 games for the Jackets in 2005-06, scoring four goals and totaling six points. Rupp famously played for the Danbury Trashers during the lockout of 04-05 in the UHL. If you haven't watched that documentary on Netflix - DO IT! Nowadays he can be seen on The NHL Network as an analyst.
- Curtis Glencross - Glencross played 43 games as a Jacket and had 12 points. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2008.
- Tim Erixon - Erixon came to Columbus in the deal for Rick Nash. He only played 52 games as a Jacket and had 11 points. He was traded to the Blackhawks in 2014.
- William Karlsson - It's a common misconception that Karlsson was drafted by the CBJ. Taken by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, he was traded to the Jackets in March 2015. He played 165 games for Columbus and had 47 points, mostly as a fourth-line grinder and penalty killer. He was chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft of 2017 and has been there ever since. His career in Vegas has been up and down, but he's managed 367 points playing in the desert.
- Brandon Saad - Saad played 160 games as a Jacket and had 106 points. Saad came to Columbus on June 30, 2015, in a trade with Chicago. On June 23, 2017, Saad was sent back to Chicago, along with Anton Forsberg for dynamic winger Artemi Panarin, Tyler Motte, and a sixth-round draft pick in 2017. He currently plays for the St. Louis Blues.
Who is your favorite #20? Please share your thoughts on our forum.
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