With opening night at Nationwide Arena three days away, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ No. 3 has a pretty sturdy roll call behind it. The number has been worn by a mix of steady defenders, short-term stopgaps, and a couple of names who left a real mark in Columbus.
František Kučera was the first on the list in the Blue Jackets’ early days, wearing No. 3 in 2001. Drafted by Chicago in 1986, he appeared in 48 games for Columbus and put up seven points during the franchise’s first season. He later retired in 2004 after returning to his home country of Czechia.
Jaroslav Špaček followed from 2002 to 2004 after being drafted by Florida in 1998. He skated in 153 games for the Jackets and recorded 72 points during the franchise’s early years. His son, David Špaček, was born in Columbus, was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022, and will begin this season with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.
Marc Methot wore the number from 2009 to 2012 after Columbus selected him in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL Draft. He played six seasons and 275 games for the Blue Jackets, collecting 51 points while building a reputation as the definition of a defensive defenseman.
On July 1, 2012, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future CBJ captain Nick Foligno, and after that deal he played another 349 NHL games. Methot retired during the 2018-19 season after appearing in nine games.
Ladislav Šmíd’s stint in the number came in 2015 after being drafted by Anaheim in 1999. He played 18 games for Columbus after arriving from the St.
Louis Blues on November 15, 2014, then was moved again on March 2, 2015, to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Justin Falk. He retired after that season and has spent the past couple of years as an assistant coach for Andover High in Minnesota.
Seth Jones wore No. 3 from 2016 to 2021 after being drafted by Nashville in 2013. He played 381 games for Columbus after coming over from the Predators, scored 50 goals, and finished with 223 points.
Among Blue Jackets defensemen, he sits second all-time in goals, assists, and points. He also ranks seventh in all-time assists and 10th in all-time points.
Columbus traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 for Adam Boqvist, and Chicago later dealt him to the Florida Panthers in 2025, where he went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Jack Johnson wore the number in 2025 after being drafted by Carolina in 2005. He played 486 games for Columbus after arriving from the LA Kings in the Jeff Carter trade, scoring 36 goals and 156 points over seven years.
After leaving the Blue Jackets, he bounced around before finally winning a Stanley Cup in 2022. He returned to Cannon City in the summer of 2024, but last season he appeared in only 41 games and had six points.
He and head coach Dean Evason did not see eye to eye, which led to Johnson being scratched for most of the season. Johnson’s family also boycotted the family day held ahead of the 2025 Stadium Series Game at Ohio Stadium.
Charlie Coyle is the current No. 3 for Columbus. Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2010, he was traded to the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025 and immediately delivered the second-best season of his career.
He scored 20 goals and totaled 58 points, finishing just two points shy of his career high. Don Waddell kept him at last season’s trade deadline, and Coyle said that move made him feel very respected by the club.
Over the summer, he signed a six-year, $36 million extension with the Blue Jackets, saying the loyalty shown to him by Don Waddell was important enough to make him re-sign.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Face A Blue Line Decision Right Before The Opener
With opening night looming, the Blue Jackets are still sorting out the back end of their defense. Columbus has two roster spots open under the 23-man limit, and the need for another veteran blue-liner has become more pressing with injuries thinning the group and the depth chart still unsettled.
Carson Soucy has been in camp on a professional tryout agreement, giving the club a look at a 32-year-old unrestricted free agent with NHL experience on multiple teams. The timing is imperfect but obvious, since Columbus is trying to stabilize its defense before the opener and still has a key question hanging over one of its regulars. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Knies Changes Everything About Columbus Next Roster Decision
The trade chatter around Matthew Knies has finally stopped, and for Columbus that alone changes the tone of the moment. Knies moved from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Blue Jackets in a six-player deal, with his name and Kirill Marchenko at the center of a swap that has already altered both rosters. Knies said he felt relief once the rumors were done, and now the focus shifts to what Columbus does next with a player who arrived as part of a major reshuffling.
On Torontos side, new general manager John Chayka offered a small window into how the deal came together, saying Marchenko was the only player seriously considered in exchange for Knies under his watch. The Maple Leafs are still hoping Marchenko can be available for their season opener while immigration issues are sorted out, which leaves the move with one lingering layer of uncertainty even after the headline trade itself is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Just Landed A Maple Leafs Piece Fans Will Debate
Matthew Knies is heading into a fresh start with the Blue Jackets after being sent over in a multi-player deal with the Maple Leafs, a move that immediately gives Columbus another name for fans to sort through. Knies sounded relieved and excited about the change, while also speaking warmly about his time in Toronto and the relationships he built there, which only adds to the sense that this was a significant shake-up on both sides.
For Columbus, the trade brings in a player with clear upside and a new opportunity to carve out a role in a different market, even as the details of the full exchange continue to shape how both fan bases judge it. The swap also changes the look of the roster around him in a meaningful way, making this one of those deals that will be debated not just for what it does now, but for what it says about where the Blue Jackets are trying to go next. [Read more 🡒]