The Columbus Blue Jackets are down to 24 days before opening night at Nationwide Arena, and that makes jersey No. 24 the focus of the day. It’s a number that has bounced around the roster over the years, worn by a mix of depth pieces, short-term additions, and a few names that left a bigger mark than the jersey number might suggest.
Mike Gaul got the first mention on the list, wearing No. 24 in 2001 after being drafted by Los Angeles in 1991. He appeared in two games for Columbus during the franchise’s first season in 2000, didn’t record a point, and never played another NHL game.
Gaul later headed to Europe, spending time in Switzerland until 2004. After his playing career ended, he moved into the business world and is currently a senior partner at Vires Capital VII, where he is developing and overseeing a portfolio of infrastructure projects totaling over $80B.
The Blue Jackets also used No. 24 on Todd Rohloff in 2004. The undrafted defenseman out of Grand Rapids, Minnesota played 24 games for Columbus in 03-04 and finished with two points.
Before turning pro, he spent four years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Rohloff retired after the 2005-06 season and never played another NHL game.
François Beauchemin is the name that jumps out most on this list. He wore No. 24 in 2006 and played just 11 games as a Jacket before being dealt to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the Sergei Fedorov trade of 2005.
The move kept him from becoming, as the source put it, one of the best players ever to wear the number for Columbus. Beauchemin went on to play 903 NHL games, post 288 points, and win a Stanley Cup in 2007.
He returned to Anaheim for his final NHL season in 2017 and later served as an asst. coach for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL last season.
Cam Severson’s run with No. 24 was brief in 2006. Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1997, he came to Columbus after a trade from Calgary and played four games in 05-06 without a point.
He left for Europe that same year, playing in Germany, Poland, and Romania, and never returned to the NHL. Severson retired in 2010.
Kris Beech wore No. 24 in 2008 after being claimed off waivers. Drafted by Washington in 1999, he played 16 games for Columbus in 07-08 and produced nine points.
His NHL path also included time with Vancouver and Pittsburgh that season before he headed overseas in 2009. Beech spent the rest of his career in Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Czechia, Germany, Austria, and England, retiring in 2016.
He is now an assistant coach for HV71 of the Swedish Elite League.
Aaron Rome had No. 24 in 2009 after arriving in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks. Drafted by LA in 2002, he played 25 games over two seasons for Columbus and scored three points. After stints with a few different teams, Rome retired in 2015 and is now an asst. coach foe the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Derek MacKenzie is one of the longest-tenured Jackets to wear the number, listed as 2010-2014 and 2008-2009 in the source. Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999, he signed with Columbus in 2007 and made his debut in December of that year.
Over seven seasons, MacKenzie played 279 games for the Blue Jackets before leaving for the Florida Panthers in 2014. He stayed there until retiring in 2019, then became an asst. coach for Florida later that year.
He has spent the last three seasons as an asst. coach for the Nashville Predators.
Nathan Gerbe wore No. 24 from 2018-2021, and the source makes clear he was a fan favorite. He only appeared in 41 games over three seasons, but much of his five seasons in the organization were spent in Cleveland, where he was the Captain for two seasons. Gerbe retired in 2022 and joined the Nashville Predators as a development coach.
Mathieu Olivier is the current No. 24, listed as 2023-2025. Entering his fifth season in Columbus, he has become a fan favorite and has played 263 games with 85 points, along with 391 PIMs.
He is described as the team’s enforcer and authoritarian. The source also notes that trading for Olivier is considered one of the most underrated trades ever by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, while re-signing him to his current deal is seen as one of the best moves by current GM Don Waddell.
With opening night at NWA now 24 days away, No. 24 has a little more time in the spotlight before the season arrives.
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