27 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide Arena: The History Of Jersey #27
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a lot of players don the Union Blue in its history. But only a handful have worn 27.
Let's look at the players that have worn the number.
Who Wore It First?
- Kevin Dahl - Dahl played 4 games for the Jackets during the 2000-01 season and had 0 points. After his time in Columbus ended, he wouldn't play another NHL game. The former Bowling Green State University Falcon played three years in Germany before finally retiring in 2004.
Who Wore It Last?
- Adam Boqvist - Boqvist played 133 games for Columbus after being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021. He was not offered a contract this summer by new GM Don Waddell and was allowed to sign elsewhere. He joined his brother Jesper in Florida as they try to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
Who Wore It Best?
Manny Malhotra - Malhotra was the ultimate competitor. He played 344 games for Columbus and had 145 points from 2003 to 2009. After leaving Columbus, he would play another 7 seasons, including playing 23 games for the Lake Erie Monsters in 2015-16. He retired after that last season and moved into coaching. Malhotra is the head coach for the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL.
Others That Have Worn #27
- Blake Sloan - Sloan played 74 games for the Jackets and had 10 points in parts of two seasons for Columbus, including the inaugural season. He spent the last 7 years of his career playing in Germany and would retire in 2013.
- Darren Van Impe - He played 14 games for the Jackets during the 2002-03 season and had 2 points. He would never play another NHL after his time in Columbus. He retired in 2013.
- Ryan Murray - Oh what could have been with Ryan Murray. The former #2 overall pick in 2012 played 347 games for the CBJ and had 110 points. The oft-injured defenseman only played 82 games in a season once and played over 60 games only twice. He did win a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022 and played for the Edmonton Oilers in 22-23, but hasn't had a contract since.
- Zac Dalpe - The former Ohio State Buckeye forward played 25 games for the Jackets and had 4 career points. He is signed to play for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL for the upcoming season where he is the Captain. He was also the Captain of the Cleveland Monsters from 2019 to 2021.
There are 27 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena.
Who is your favorite #27? Please share your thoughts on our forum.
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