34 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide Arena: The History Of Jersey #34
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a lot of players don the Union Blue in its history. But only a handful have worn 34.
Let's look at the players that have worn the number.
Who Wore It First?
- Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre - The "Hyphenator" played 202 games for the CBJ from the 2000 season until the 03-04 season. He totaled 14 points as a Jacket and played more games with Columbus than any other NHL team. After playing his final NHL game, he went on to play in Europe until the 2012-13 season. He now sits at the desk for pre and post-game coverage for Bally Sports Ohio. Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre is a beloved member of the Blue Jackets Alumni and Columbus community.
Who Wore It Last?
- Cole Sillinger - Silinger wore #34 for two years before switching to #4 before the 23-24 season. Having a bounce-back year last season, and expecting to take another big leap this year is what the young man born in Columbus needs. He has 74 points in 220 games. He seems to be maturing faster and faster and could take on a leadership role in the coming seasons. He was also just re-signed to a two-year contract this summer.
Who Wore It Best?
- Josh Anderson - Anderson played for the Jackets from 2012 to 2020. Playing in 267 games, he had 115 points. He also helped the Cleveland Monsters win the 2016 Calder Cup. On October 6, 2020, he was traded to the Canadiens for Max Domi.
Others That Have Worn #34
- Dan LaCosta - LaCosta played 4 games as a Jacket, going 2-0 in his only two NHL starts. He never played another NHL game after his time in Columbus was over. He would finish his career in England in 2014.
- Wade Dubielewicz - He played in games for Columbus and went 1-2. He played in only 3 more NHL games after being in Columbus and would finish his career in Germany in 2011.
- Dane Byers - Byers played in 8 games for Columbus during the 2011-12 season. He would record no points and had a total of 1 for his career while playing for the New York Rangers. After playing for Columbus, he would never play in another NHL game. Byers finished his career in England in 2019.
- Nick Drazenovic - He played in 8 games for the CBJ during the 12-13 season. He played in only 1 NHL game after leaving Columbus and would retire in 2016. He did have an excellent AHL career though totaling 325 points in 504 games.
- Dana Tyrell - Tyrell played in 3 games for Columbus during the 2014-15 season. He had 0 points and never played another NHL game after the Blue Jackets. After taking two years off, he finished his career in 2017 while in the ECHL.
With 34 days left to go until Nationwide Arena opens its doors to fans, it's coming quick. The kids will take part in the Buffalo Prospects Challenge this weekend and camp open in a week.
Who's your favorite #34? Please share your thoughts on our forum.
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