The Columbus Blue Jackets are 51 days away from opening night at Nationwide Arena, and jersey No. 51 has had a short but memorable run through franchise history.
Only a few players have worn it, but one name stands far above the rest: Fedor Tyutin.
Tyutin arrived in Columbus on July 2, 2008, when the Blue Jackets acquired him and Christian Bäckman from the New York Rangers in exchange for Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche. What followed was an eight-year stretch that made him one of the most important defensemen in team history. He played 553 games for Columbus, scored 39 goals, and finished with 185 points.
Those numbers put him near the top of the franchise record book among defensemen. Tyutin ranks fifth in games played by a Blue Jackets defenseman, behind Werenski, Jones, Klesla, and Savard.
His 39 goals are also fifth, again trailing the same group. His 146 assists rank third behind Werenski and Jones, and his 185 points are third as well, with no active Columbus defenseman close to catching him.
After leaving Columbus in free agency in 2016, Tyutin played 69 games for the Colorado Avalanche and then retired. He returned to the organization in September of 2017 as part of the scouting staff, worked as a pro scout until 2019, and has spent the last six years coaching different levels of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets. In 26-27, he will serve as an asst. coach for the NCDC's Columbus Mavericks.
Tyutin’s place in Blue Jackets history is clear: he is regarded as one of the best defensemen to ever suit up for the club.
The other notable name to wear No. 51 in Columbus was Andy Murray. Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL draft as a center, Murray spent four years at Bemidji State University before turning pro. He played two seasons with the Syracuse Crunch before making his NHL debut in 2007-08.
As a rookie, Murray appeared in 39 games and put up 10 points. He then spent three more seasons in Columbus, skating in 181 games and producing 23 goals and 36 points.
After leaving the Blue Jackets in free agency in 2011, he had brief stops with the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues before heading overseas in 2013.
He played two seasons in the KHL for a team in Croatia, and then his pro career was done.
Andrew Delmore also wore No. 51 for Columbus, though only briefly. The undrafted LaSalle, Ontario, native spent most of his NHL career before being claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets on October 4th, 2005, from the Detroit Red Wings. He played just seven games for Columbus in the 2006-07 season and did not record a point, while spending most of that year with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, where he played 66 games.
Delmore left for Europe in 2007, returned after two seasons, then spent 2009-10 in the AHL before heading back overseas again. He played there until retiring after the 2012-13 season. In the 24-25 season, Delmore worked as a development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.
So with 51 days left until the Jackets drop the puck at Nationwide Arena, No. 51 brings one clear headliner and a pair of footnotes - but Tyutin made sure the number mattered.
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Blue Jackets Contender Push Hits A Prospect Problem Fans Cant Ignore
As the Blue Jackets try to build toward a more competitive stretch, the organizations prospect pipeline is drawing extra attention for reasons that are not entirely comfortable. Columbus has gone more than three years without signing any of its own first-round draft picks, and the most prominent young names in the system are still at least a step away from helping the NHL roster. The group headlined by Cayden Lindstrom, Jackson Smith and Oscar Hemming is spread out across college and overseas, which leaves the front office leaning on patience at a time when fans would prefer quicker answers.
For now, the nearest internal options are names like Luca Del Bel Belluz and Luca Pinelli, both of whom have at least put themselves in the conversation for a future look. Even so, their exact roles and readiness remain open questions, which is part of what makes the current picture so tricky for Columbus. The Blue Jackets want a stronger base of young talent to support the next push, but the path from prospect stockpile to useful NHL help is still uneven. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Knight Gives Blackhawks Fans A Real Reason To Believe
The next wave of elite NHL goaltenders may already be taking shape, and Jet Greaves is right in the middle of it. After a season that put him on the map in Columbus, the young Blue Jackets goalie is being discussed alongside Jesper Wallstedt and Spencer Knight as one of the names to watch heading toward the 2026-27 race for the Vezina Trophy. With several familiar faces around the league either aging out of the conversation or facing some natural regression, there is room for a fresh crop of candidates to break through.
Greaves rise matters for the Blue Jackets because it gives them more than just stability in net, it gives them a potential star to build around if his progress keeps trending in the same direction. The league has also leaned heavily on Russian goaltenders in recent Vezina races, but the opening for a new finalist is there if one of these younger goalies keeps taking steps forward. For Columbus, the appeal is obvious: if Greaves can keep growing, the conversation around the team changes fast. [Read more 🡒]