With 12 days left before opening night at Nationwide Arena, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ No. 12 jersey has a little history behind it. The number has bounced around quite a bit over the years, worn by a mix of short-term Jackets, a few steady contributors, and one current name still in the system.
Ted Drury was the first to show up in the No. 12 roll call in 2001. Drafted by Calgary in 1989, he played one game for Columbus in the 2000-01 season and never appeared in another NHL game after that.
He later retired in 2007 after five seasons in Germany. Drury is also the brother of former New York Rangers captain and current president and general manager Chris Drury.
The brother of Hall of Famer Chris Pronger also logged time in Columbus, skating in 104 games and finishing with 17 points. He retired in 2005 after a stint in Germany. After his two seasons with the Blue Jackets, he went on to play for Vancouver before heading back overseas, where he spent one season in Germany and then retired.
Mathieu Darche followed in 2003 as an undrafted player out of Saint-Laurent, Quebec. He appeared in 24 games across the Blue Jackets’ first three seasons and picked up two points.
Darche played until 2012, finishing his career with the Montreal Canadiens. He later spent six years as assistant general manager and director of hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning before being named GM and executive VP of hockey ops and general manager for the New York Islanders last season.
Jiří Novotný wore No. 12 from 2008-2009 after being drafted by Buffalo in 2001. He played 107 games for Columbus and recorded 29 points, then moved on from the NHL and spent the rest of his playing career in Europe until 2023.
Novotný’s path took him through Russia, Czechia, and Switzerland before retirement, and he now serves as the Sports Manager for HC Motor České Budějovice. Elite Prospects described him this way: "Novotný is a center with a sound two-way game.
With good vision and passing ability, he is more of a playmaker than a shooter. Handles the puck and skates well, too.
Can kill penalties and win faceoffs."
Mike Blunden had the number in 2010-2011. Drafted by Chicago in 2005, he played 41 games for Columbus and finished with four points.
Blunden wrapped up his career in 2020 after spending his final two seasons in Germany and Italy, ending with 127 NHL games. He has spent the last four seasons as a pro scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ryan Craig took over in 2014-2015 after being drafted by Tampa Bay in 2002. He played eight games for the Jackets and did not record a point.
Craig also served as captain of both the Springfield Falcons and the Cleveland Monsters. He retired in 2017, moved into coaching with the Vegas Golden Knights, and was hired this summer as their new head coach.
The current No. 12 belongs to Owen Sillinger, who has one NHL game and no points to his name. Undrafted out of Regina, Saskatchewan, he has spent most of his career with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, where he has put up 148 points in parts of five seasons. The older brother of Cole is expected to be a veteran presence on a young Monsters roster.
Two scouting reports in the source paint a clear picture of Sillinger’s game. One called him "a pure sniper" and said, "He might be the best shooter in this draft class.
His wrist shot is powerful and accurate. He has quick hands and is able to get the shot off quickly.
Sillinger also does a good job of changing the angle on his shot, fooling goaltenders. His snapshot is also very good and features a similar quick release.
Sillinger also has a knack for getting open for a one-timer, especially on the power play. His slap shot is also very good.
He can even score with a good backhand. Sillinger has the hands to get deflections and pounce on rebounds in front of the net.
His lateral agility and hands allow him to move laterally to open up shooting lanes."
The other report focused on the other side of the puck: "Sillinger also needs work in his own end of the ice. He can become too focused on the puck away from the play, losing his man and getting out of position.
He also seems to take risks at times, leaving the zone early and trying to create offence. Sillinger could improve by using his size and strength to help contain in the cycle game but is not always committed to working down low in the defensive zone.
These are areas where he will need some strong coaching in helping out his defense."
There are 12 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena.
In Other News...
Bowness Is Already Calling Out A Blue Jackets Camp Problem
Training camp barely got rolling before Rick Bowness was already sending a message about the standard he expects from the Blue Jackets. The first-year coach said he was dissatisfied with the conditioning of some players as camp opened, and he pointed to the kind of details that matter early, when teams are setting habits and trying to reset the tone for the season ahead. He also made clear the club will have to navigate more than one issue at once, with injuries and roster uncertainty already part of the backdrop.
Bowness has talked repeatedly about changing the culture in Columbus, and this was another reminder that he plans to treat camp as the starting point for that process, not a ceremonial checkpoint. The club has little margin for loose ends, and the next few days figure to show how firmly Bowness wants to draw lines on effort, readiness and accountability before the Blue Jackets get too deep into their preseason work. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Suddenly Face A Worrying Core Contract Problem
The Blue Jackets are staring at a familiar kind of front-office anxiety, the sort that can hang over a team even when the on-ice product is still taking shape. Around the league, contract drama is hardly in short supply, from Detroits split thinking on Dylan Larkin to Winnipegs dispute over what was said and what was meant with Connor Hellebuyck, and Columbus is now dealing with its own version of that uncertainty as it tries to keep the foundation intact.
At the center of it are Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko, two players Columbus would ideally build around for the long haul. The problem is that the club does not yet have clear security on either front, and for a team trying to steady its course, that leaves a real question about how much of its core can be counted on as the years move forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kirill Marchenko Just Gave Blue Jackets Fans More To Worry About
Kirill Marchenkos future with the Blue Jackets is suddenly a bigger talking point than his production, and that is not where Columbus wanted to be with one of its most intriguing young forwards. When asked about what comes next, Marchenko stayed guarded and gave little away, leaving the impression that the situation around him is still very much unsettled.
The uncertainty only grew because the tone of his answers matched the larger buzz already circling the team. Earlier reports from Kevin Weekes suggested Marchenkos camp was unlikely to sign an extension with Columbus, and his reluctance to say much has only fed the speculation that the Blue Jackets may be staring at a possible departure down the line. [Read more 🡒]