The Columbus Blue Jackets are 22 days away from opening night at Nationwide Arena, and that countdown brings jersey No. 22 into focus.
Over the years, the number has been worn by a mix of depth pieces, veterans, and a few players whose Blue Jackets stops never really lasted long. Some had brief runs in Columbus, some left bigger marks elsewhere, and a couple moved on to coaching after their playing days were done.
Chris Nielsen was the first name in the club’s No. 22 timeline here, wearing it in 2001-2002 after being drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998. He signed with Columbus and appeared in 52 games across two seasons.
After a few more years bouncing around the AHL, he headed to Europe for a year in Germany before retiring in 2006. These days, he’s the attending surgeon at University Health Network and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Jason Richardson, a former captain of the Blue Jackets, also spent time in No. 22.
He played 190 games in Columbus before being traded to the Maple Leafs on March 8, 2006. He later signed with the Senators and retired on November 27, 2008.
Richardson moved into coaching in 2008 and has since worked around the NHL and AHL. His most recent NHL stop was with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was fired on December 6th, 2024.
Richardson is now an asst. coach for the Nashville Predators.
Mike Commodore wore No. 22 from 2009-2011 after being drafted by New Jersey in 1999. Columbus signed him on July 1, 2008, to a five-year deal worth $18.75 million.
He played 158 games before being placed on waivers on January 17, 2011. After clearing waivers, he was sent to the Springfield Falcons and played 11 games there.
That ended the Mike Commodore chapter in Columbus. He later bounced around for a few seasons, finished in the KHL, and became best known for his nasty feud with Mike Babcock.
Václav Prospal, listed here as Vinny Prospal, had one of the more productive stretches in the number. Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1993, he played 130 games for Columbus and put up 85 points during his two seasons.
He retired on January 24, 2014, then moved into coaching. He worked with youth in the Tampa area before returning to Czechia in 2021.
In 2023, he was named an asst. coach for the Rochester Americans of the AHL, and for the upcoming season, he will be an asst. coach for the St. Louis Blues.
Sonny Milano wore No. 22 from 2016-2020 after being drafted by Columbus in 2014. He played 116 games for the Blue Jackets and recorded 42 points, while spending most of his time with the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters.
In the AHL, he played 163 games, scored 45 goals, and finished with 112 points. His time in Columbus ended on February 24, 2020, when he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks.
He spent the last four seasons with the Washington Capitals and left for SC Bern in Switzerland this offseason.
Jake Bean’s stint came from 2022-2024. Columbus acquired him from the Hurricanes on July 23, 2021, and immediately signed him to a three-year contract.
He played 153 games for the Blue Jackets, including one season in which shoulder surgery limited him to just 14 games. The Jackets let him walk in 2024.
He signed with Calgary that year and played only 80 games in two seasons, and he remains a free agent today.
The latest name on the list is Jordan Harris, who wore No. 22 in 2025. Drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2017, he came to Columbus before the 2024-25 season in the trade for Patrik Laine.
Even though he was healthy all year, he played only 33 games last season because the Jackets kept a lot of defensemen on the roster, leaving him a healthy scratch for most of the year. Columbus did not tender him a qualifying offer in the summer of 2025, and he signed with his hometown Boston Bruins.
There are 22 days until opening night at NWA.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Face One Big Forward Line Question Before Opening Night
Don Waddell spent the offseason trying to add more depth to Columbus, and the latest move from the Blue Jackets has only sharpened the conversation about how the forwards will actually fit together when opening night arrives. Adam Fantilli looks like the center the group will be built around, while the roster now has enough experienced and younger pieces to make the top end more interesting, and more unsettled, than it appeared a few months ago.
The real question is what comes after that first line. Columbus does not yet have an obvious second-line answer, which leaves a crowded mix of candidates battling for the remaining spots and gives the coaching staff a tricky puzzle to solve through camp and the preseason. For a team trying to take a step forward, finding the right blend could matter as much as any single acquisition. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Give Fans A Meaningful Way To Help And Get Rewarded
As the Blue Jackets get ready for the fall calendar to turn, they are once again turning Nationwide Arena into a place where fans can do more than just check a sports box off their list. The clubs annual September blood drive with the American Red Cross is set for Sept. 10 at the arena, offering a simple way for supporters in the region to help meet a national need while spending part of a day inside one of Columbus most familiar sports buildings.
There is a little added incentive this month, too, beyond the good feeling that comes with donating. Fans who give blood in September can qualify for special ticket offers and prize entries, and there are additional rewards available for donations made by Sept. 20. The Red Cross will have its usual safety protocols in place, including mask requirements and a recommendation that donors make appointments in advance, which should help keep the process smooth for anyone planning to stop by. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Fans Will Recognize More No. 23 Names Than Expected
Jersey No. 23 has had an unusually busy life in Columbus, cycling through a long list of Blue Jackets over the years as the franchise sorted through early roster-building, depth moves and short-term fits. The number has been around since 2000, and the collection of names attached to it tells a tidy little history of the team itself, with players from different eras and roles each leaving a brief mark before moving on.
Among the more familiar faces are Kevin Dahl, Nikolai Selivanov, Derrick Walser, Dick Trnstrm and Milan Jurina, along with a few others whose Columbus stops were smaller but still part of the teams evolving identity. For fans, it is the kind of jersey-number trip down memory lane that can surface a few pleasant surprises, and it also hints at how often this particular number has been passed along before the next name arrives. [Read more 🡒]