With 46 days left before opening night at Nationwide Arena, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ number 46 has a short but varied history. Four players have worn it for Columbus, and each one followed a different path through the organization and beyond.
The first to do it was Kris Jackman, who debuted in December of 2003 after spending the previous year and the start of the 2003 season with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. Jackman appeared in only 19 NHL games with Columbus before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes on October 8, 2005.
His career went well beyond that brief stop, though. He went on to play 12 NHL seasons and 483 games, along with 288 AHL games and 138 points for five different teams.
Jackman retired in 2023 and later moved into coaching, working as an assistant at Minnesota State Univ. (Mankato) and at different levels with Northstar Christian Academy.
Filip Novák wore 46 next, during the 2006-07 season. A second-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2000 NHL Draft, Novák arrived in Columbus as an unrestricted free agent on August 8, 2006.
He was 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." Most of his 05-06 season had been spent with Syracuse, where he played 67 games and scored 37 points as a defenseman.
In Columbus, though, his NHL time was limited to six games and no points. Novák eventually left North America for Czechia and stayed in Europe until retiring in 2018.
Tomáš Káňa’s run with the number came in 2009-10. Drafted in the second round of the 2006 NHL Draft by the St.
Louis Blues, he was traded by St. Louis, along with Brendan Bell, to Columbus for Pascal Pelletier on December 8, 2009.
Káňa was assigned to Syracuse after the deal and put together a strong stretch there, playing 50 games for the Crunch and recording 28 points. He also logged 11 games with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL and had six points.
That production earned him a call-up, and he played six games for the Blue Jackets with two points. After the 2010-11 season with Springfield, he headed back to Europe and has played in various leagues in different countries ever since.
He is signed to play for HK Opava in Czechia's 3rd-tier league in 26-27.
The most recent Blue Jacket to wear 46 was Dean Kukan, who held it from 2015-22. An undrafted player from Volketswil, Switzerland, Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after spending most of that season with the Lake Erie Monsters.
He got into eight NHL games late in the year, then returned to Lake Erie and helped the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup, finishing with five points in 17 playoff games. Over time, Kukan moved back and forth between Columbus and Cleveland, eventually appearing in 153 games for the CBJ and collecting 30 points.
His biggest impact came in the minors, where he played 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a skilled two-way defenseman. After the 2022 season, he went back to Switzerland to rejoin his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract.
He also remains a regular for Switzerland internationally, including the 2025 IIHF Worlds, where he scored nine points in 10 games, and five games in the 2026 Olympics.
Joona Luoto was the last player to wear 46, doing so in 2022-23. The undrafted winger from Tampere, Finland, signed with Columbus in June of 2022 as a free agent after previously spending time in the Winnipeg Jets organization in 2019-20.
His connection to Patrik Laine made him a familiar name, since the two are friends, come from the same town in Finland, and both played for the Jets and Blue Jackets. There were also rumors that former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen signed him to make Laine more comfortable in Columbus.
Luoto spent most of his time with Cleveland, where he played 45 games, scored 14 goals and finished with 25 points. He also appeared in seven games for the Blue Jackets and scored one goal.
He returned to Europe in 23-24, signed with SC Bern of the Swiss National League, and is now signed to play for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League as an assistant captain.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Could Have A Sneaky Blue Line Battle Brewing
The Blue Jackets have another quiet roster wrinkle taking shape on the blue line, with veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk emerging as a possible training camp addition on a professional tryout. Coming off recent stops with the Penguins and Blackhawks, he would give Columbus another experienced option on the back end if the club decides it wants a little more insulation before camp opens.
For a team looking to sort out its defensive depth, the appeal is straightforward: Grzelcyk has played enough NHL hockey to know how to fit into a lineup and could make the competition around him a little more interesting. For now, though, it remains just that - a possibility, not an official invite or contract - which means the Blue Jackets may still have a sneaky battle brewing without having made a single move yet. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Werenski Just Gave Blue Jackets Fans Real Hope Amid Rumors
Zach Werenski has been one of the most important voices around the Blue Jackets this summer, and not just because of what he does on the ice. With trade speculation circling, the defenseman offered a clear sense of where his head is at, giving Columbus fans reason to believe the franchise cornerstone still sees a future here even as rumors continue to follow him.
The timing matters because this is the kind of noise that can shape an entire offseason, especially for a team trying to build something lasting. Werenskis comments helped steady that conversation without closing the door on anything else, and his willingness to address it now suggests Thursday may be the only time he deals with the speculation publicly, leaving the rest of the focus on what comes next in Columbus. [Read more 🡒]