On This Date: June 30th - Over The Years

The Blue Jackets have seen a few important events happen on June 30^th through the years. Most of those revolve around trades and the draft.

In 2013, the NHL entry draft took place in New Jersey, with all seven rounds happening in one day, and saw the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov and Elias Lindholm taken early.

The Blue Jackets had three first round picks that year, picks 14, 19 and 27.

Alex Wennberg went #14 overall to Columbus. The Swede played six seasons in Columbus before being bought out in 2020. He signed In Florida and was then exposed in the expansion draft in 2021, being drafted by the Seattle Kraken. Wennberg has played in 633 career NHL games, scoring 81 goals with a total of 305 points.

Kerby Rychel was then taken #19 overall by Columbus. He played in parts of two seasons in Columbus and the AHL before being traded to the Maple Leafs for defenseman Scott Harrington. Rychel has played in 43 career NHL games, scoring 3 goals and 14 points.

Marko Dano was chosen #27 overall by the CBJ. Dano is famous for being traded to the Blackhawks in 2015 along with three others, in exchange for Brandon Saad and others, a very lopsided trade in some people’s eyes. Dano went on to play in 141 NHL games, score 19 goals and 45 points.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, probably one of the most beloved Blue Jackets ever, was drafted #89 overall. Bjorkstrand is most famous for his game winning goal in the 2019 NHL playoffs vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. A goal that will live in infamy for Lightning fans. Bjorkstrand was a cap casualty in 2022 after the CBJ was able to sign Johnny Gaudreau in free agency. Bjorkstrand was sent to Seattle for cap relief, ending his tenure in Columbus. He finished his CBJ career with 111 goals and 234 points. 

Also in 2013, Former CBJ defenseman Seth Jones was drafted by the Nashville Predators. The #4 overall pick was traded to Columbus in early 2016 after being swapped for Ryan Johansen. Jones would go on to play in 381 games for Columbus, scoring 50 goals and 223 points. In 2021, Jones was traded to Chicago after he advised the team he would not be re-signing with the Blue Jackets.

Other names in that 2013 draft were Dillion Heatherington, Nick Moutrey, Markus Soberg and Peter Quenneville. Of those only Heatherington has played in NHL games, with 23 played.

On June 30^th, 2015, the CBJ traded for the rights of Brandon Saad. Alongside, Alex Broadhurst and Michael Paliotta, they were exchanged for Jeremy Morin, Marko Dano, Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp and a 4^th round draft pick.

Brandon Saad had two very good years in Columbus. In two seasons he played in all but four games, 160 in total. Scoring 55 goals and 106 points. In both seasons he had 53 points, had a +- of 24 with seven PP goals. He was very consistent while he was in Columbus and was very underappreciated. On June 23^rd, 2017, Saad would be traded back to Chicago with Anton Forsberg and 5^th round pick, for Artemi Panarin, Tyler Motte and a 6^th round pick. Panarin went on to set several CBJ records in his two seasons in Columbus, before leaving in free agency to the New York Rangers.