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50 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #50
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 50 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #50. There weren`t many that used the number, but at least one had a pretty good career.
Joakim Lindström – 2006 – Lindström was drafted by Columbus in the 2nd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Lindström made his North American debut in the last pasty of the 04-05 season for the Syracuse Crunch, the CBJ’s AHL team. In the 05-06 season, he would make his Blue Jackets and play in three games. In 2008, after playing just 37 games, Lindström was traded to the Anaheim Ducks.
He finished his CBJ career with 8 points, but it was his AHL career that paid his bills. In his four seasons with the Crunch, he played in 176 and had a total of 159 points.
He returned to Europe in 2009 and bounced back and forth between the NHL and Europe until he retired in 2023.
Just hours before the 2025 NHL Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche came together and worked out a deal that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus.
Adding Coyle to the mix for the Blue Jackets is what they were missing down the middle. He will take on the role of the third-line center and will help make them deeper as a team. But the question is whether general manager Don Waddell is looking to flip Coyle at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
Dan Fritsche – 2004-08 – The Ohio-born native was picked in the 2003 NHL Draft in the 2nd round.
Fritsche turned pro and became a full time NHLer in 2005. He played 206 games for the CBJ over the course of four years. He scored 29 goals and totaled 63 points.
In July of 2008, the young speedster was traded to the New York Rangers along with Nikolai Zherdev for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Bäckman. It’s safe to say the CBJ won this trade, as Tyutin would go on to become of the best defenseman to ever play for the Blue Jackets.
On January 29, 2009, Fritsche was traded by the Rangers to the Minnesota Wild. The following season, Fritsche returned to the CBJ organization and would play for the Syracuse Crunch.
Though Fantilli was the No. 3 overall pick in 2023, the highly touted center spent most of the season watching from either the bench or the press box as the Blue Jackets leaned on more experienced players. Call it a learning experience, if you want. But for Fantilli, it has made him even hungrier for what he hopes is a breakout year next season. “I definitely want to come out of the gates flying next year and get off to a great start,” he said. “I know what everyone says about the sophomore slump, so I’m trying not to go through that. I also know in the back of my mind that because I’m a year older doesn’t mean I’ll be one year better. It’s up to me to take that next step.”
On This Date In 2016: Jared Bednar Is Hired By Colorado
On this date in 2016, the Colorado Avalanche hired Jared Bednar away from the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.
On this date in 2016, the Colorado Avalanche hired Jared Bednar away from the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.
Many people will argue that Columbus should’ve promoted Bednar, but in October of 2015, when HC Todd Richards was fired by Columbus and hired John Tortorella, Bednar had just started the season with the Lake Erie Monsters and would go on to win the Calder Cup.
The Next time an NHL player wonders whether he has an impact on people, he should consider the case of Mason Krieger, a six-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, who has been in speech therapy most of his life but speaks in cogent and complete sentences when he talks about the Columbus Blue Jackets. The day after Matt Duchene scored in double overtime in Game 2 of the Blue Jackets’ second-round series against the Boston Bruins, Mason and his father, Marty, went to a local rink to do a video recreation of the goal, right down to the part where Duchene slid across the ice on his knees in celebration.
Cleveland Monsters forward Jordan Dumais has been invited to the 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase, which is hosted by the NHLPA and UPPER DECK.
Yesterday, Muskoka Hockey hosted an event in Bracebridge, Ontario, and among the NHL stars who took part, Columbus Blue Jackets’ Erik Gudbranson was one of the players on the ice.
Cody Goloubef – 2011-18 – Goloubef was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2008 NHL Draft.
Goloubef played 5-plus years in Columbus and totaled 96 games. The defenseman totaled 18 points in those 96 games. He spent most of his time playing in the AHL for the Springfield Falcons and Cleveland Monsters. He totaled 77 points playing for the Columbus AHL organizations.
Columbus traded him to Colorado for Ryan Stanton, November 28, 2016. From there, he would bounce around the NHL until leaving for Europe in 2022. He is signed to play for the Dundas Real McCoys of the Allan Cup Hockey League, a league that plays in Ontario.
If you would like to continue to support The John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation, you can do so, but this time it’ll be local.
The Columbus chapter will host the charity golf outing at the Jefferson Country Club in Blacklick, Ohio, which is on Columbus’s far eastside.
Dalton Prout – 2011-17 – Prout was drafted by Columbus in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Prout made his NHL debut on March 30, 2012, against the Florida Panthers. From there, he would go on to play in 224 games for the Jackets. He would also play in four seasons with the Springfield Falcons and Cleveland Monsters of the AHL.
The NHL has announced some changes to the 25-26 Blue Jackets schedule that you should be aware of. Two of the four changes are for CBJ home games.
The Blue Jackets enter their 25th anniversary season, and there is a ton of hype surrounding the team after how well they did last season. There is hope this group can push their way into the playoffs on the backs of the young stars they have. So, let’s quickly go over some of the season records, and with any luck, some of them will be broken.
Filip Novák – 2006-07 – Novák was picked in the second round of the 2000 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers. He is described as “an offensive defenseman. He can pass and move the puck very well and is a good skater. He needs to make the simple play more, though, and not try to force things.”
A Year Without Johnny: The Blue Jackets Play On, But Never Alone
Has it really been a year already?
Long Live Johnny Gaudreau!
Today marks one year since the hockey world tragically lost Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. It is a sad day, a day to reflect and remember all the great memories of the brothers who were taken away too early. It is also a day to give back, with donations being made in their memory to foundations that carry on their legacy.
Rostislav Klesla – 2001-2004 – Klesla was drafted 4th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft.
Klesla’s scouting report went like this, “Klesla is a very physical, defensive defenseman. Has solid hockey sense and positional skills. Doesn’t score as many points as he possibly could. Also, he is rather prone to injury.” Despite that last part about injuries, former GM Doug MacLean drafted Klesla at #4 anyway.
Blue Jackets Players Donate To Local Hockey Player With Brain Tumour
Yesterday, a story surfaced on social media about local Columbus hockey player Quinn Halstead, who has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Halstead plays for the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets U12 girls’ team and, sadly, just received some of the toughest news a person can hear. The positive news is that she is scheduled for surgery to remove the tumor and, hopefully, will be back on the ice soon.
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