Recently, Bleacher Report released their version of 'Every NHL Team's Mount Rushmore of the Quarter Century,' and it got me thinking about who Jason Newland and I would put on the Columbus Blue Jackets' Mount Rushmore.
On that mountain, there are four spots. Bleacher Report went with a goalie, a defenseman, and two forwards. For the sake of this, I’ll stick with the same setup. Since the Blue Jackets are only entering their 25th year in the NHL, it means we can choose from any player in their history so far.
So, here is both mine and Jason's Blue Jackets Mount Rushmore.
Spencer's Spot 1: Rick Nash
For the first spot, it should come as a surprise to no one that Rick Nash is on the mountain. He is the greatest Blue Jacket of all time and there’s really no debate. He leads the team in goals with 289 and points with 547. He also won the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2003-04, the first and only player to do so with Columbus. Aside from maybe Zach Werenski or Adam Fantilli down the line, Nash will forever hold the crown as the greatest Blue Jacket.
Jason's Spot 1: Rick Nash
Nash is definitely the obvious choice to occupy spot #1. Although his end in Columbus was rocky, it wasn't all his fault. Nash was the reason many CBJ fans are fans today, even though he's been gone as a player for 13 years. Had Nash had better players around him, he was more than likely going into the Hall of Fame. He also will be forever immortalized by being the first player to have his number retired and hung from the ceiling of NWA.
Spencer's Spot 2: Zach Werenski
As mentioned above, Werenski is the one player so far who could come close to passing Nash for the top spot in franchise history. He’s already the best defenseman the team has ever had and could be a clear second to Nash. Werenski is the franchise leader in assists with 271 and just missed out on winning the 2024-25 Norris Trophy.
Jason's Spot 2: Zach Werenski
Zach Werenski is not only the best defenseman to have ever played for the Jackets, but he's possibly the best skater, period. Zach is coming off an all-time season for a Jackets defenseman, and quite possibly for any player in CBJ history. Going into next season, he's only 18 points behind Cam Atkinson for the second most points all time, and 163 points behind Nash for #1 all-time. So, in theory, Werenski could top Nash in points in the next 2-3 seasons. Werenski will definitely have his number retired and could be on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Spencer's Spot 3: Cam Atkinson
For the second forward spot, instead of Boone Jenner, I’m going with Cam Atkinson, who ranks second in franchise points. Atkinson played 627 games with Columbus and put up 213 goals, 189 assists, and 402 points. He and Nash also share the single-season goal record with 41. Jenner has a strong case, but to me, Atkinson deserves it more.
Jason's Spot 3: Boone Jenner
Boone Jenner might not be the flashiest player, but he is by far the best Captain this team has ever had, and he has some skill to go with it. Boone Jenner currently ranks 1st in games played (741), 3rd in goals (199), 6th in assists (184), and 4th in points (383). He's also 2nd in power-play goals with 43 and tied for third in shorthanded goals with 7. He also has 80 2+ point games, which is second, and 11 3+ point games.
Spencer's Spot 4: Sergei Bobrovsky
Lastly, for goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky is without question the greatest in franchise history. He played more games than any other Jackets goalie and has double the wins of Marc Denis, who sits second. His record stands at 213-130-27 with a .921 save percentage, a 2.41 goals-against average, and 33 shutouts. He also won two Vezina Trophies during his time in Columbus, first in 2012-13 and again in 2016-17.
Jason's Spot 4: Sergei Bobrovsky
If we had to pick one goalie for Mount Rushmore, this one isn't even close. Goalie Bob holds just about every record there is, and none of them are in danger of being broken. Sergei Bobrovsky left in 2019, and when he did, it didn't go over very well with fans. It came last year that Bobrovsky refused to waive his no-trade clause leading up to the 2019 NHL trade deadline, so former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen had to hold onto him and "go for it" in the 2019 playoffs.
Honorable Mentions
There are two honorable mentions worth noting. Many would argue Jenner deserves the nod over Atkinson. The second is Seth Jones, but it is hard to make a case for him over any of the four players listed above, or Jenner.
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