The Columbus Blue Jackets have 6 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #6.
Let's take a look at who wore 6, and where they are now.
Jamie Heward - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1989.
Heward played 97 games with Columbus and had 30 points. 69 of his games came during the inaugural season for Columbus.
After several years in Europe, he returned to the NHL and retired with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009. Heward has been an Asst. Coach for the Henderson Silver Knights since 2020. Former Monsters captain Ryan Craig is the head coach for Henderson.
Jamie Pushor - 2004 - Drafted by Detroit in 1991.
Pushor played 147 games with the Jackets and had 22 points. After three different stints with the CBJ, he retired in 2007 while playing for the Syracuse Crunch.
He is now the Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel for the Tampa Bay Lightning with former CBJ Mathieu Darche.
Ron Hainsey - 2006-2008 - Drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2000.
Hainsey played 213 games with the Jackets and totaled 83 points.
After retiring in 2021, having played 1,132 games, he now works for the NHLPA as Assistant Executive Director.
Hainsey is Actor Michael Madsen's doppelgänger.
Anton Strålman - 2010-2011 - Drafted by Toronto in 2005.
He played 124 games with Columbus and totaled 52 points over two seasons. He left Columbus for the New York Rangers in 2011.
After 16 seasons and 938 NHL games, he retired in 2024 and became a coach for Skultorps IF, a professional women's soccer team in Sweden. In January 2025, he returned to play for Tibro IK, a Division Three team in his hometown in Sweden.
Nikita Nikitin - 2012-2014 - Drafted by St. Louis in 2004.
Nikitin played in 158 games for the Jackets and had 56 points. He only played 101 more NHL games after his time with Columbus.
He left for the KHL in 2016 and retired in 2019. He's currently an assistant coach for Omsk Krylga in Russia's VHL.
Elite prospects said of Nikitin, "Nikitin has a terrific combination of size and mobility. He handles the puck nicely and can rush it up the ice. Can unleash a hard point shot, too. Could stand to play a more physical game, given his frame."
Adam Clendening - 2019 - Drafted by Chicago in 2011.
Clendening played four games for the Jackets in 18-19. He has never played another NHL game and left for Europe in 2023. He also spent a couple of years playing for the Cleveland Monsters.
He currently plays for the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL and was just named an assistant Captain. His head coach is former CBJ bench boss Gerard Gallant.
Elite prospects said this about the former second-round pick: "A smooth-skating two-way defenseman that can read the game like a forward. Possesses slick hands, a good stick, and a sharp shot that jumps off his stick. All in all, a productive two-way defenseman who has a high offensive ceiling and is responsible defensively."
Clendening signed a PTO with the Cleveland Monsters yesterday.
Billy Sweezey - 2023 - Undrafted out of Hanson, Massachusetts.
Sweezey played 9 games with Columbus and had a single point. He spent most of his time with Cleveland in the AHL, playing three seasons and totaling 26 points.
He signed with his hometown Boston Bruins in 2024 and will play for the Boston organization again this season.
Egor Zamula - 2025-26 - Undrafted out of Chelyabinsk, RUS
Zamula played 20 games for Columbus last season after coming over from Philadelphia. he totaled 2 points before leaving for Russia. He will play for CSKA Moskva this season.
There are six days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #6?
