The Columbus Blue Jackets have 6 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #6. There haven't been too many players donning the 6 in Union Blue.

Let's take a look at who wore 6, and where they are now. 

Jamie Heward - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1989. 

Heward played 97 games with Columbus and had 30 points. 69 of his games came during the inaugural season for Columbus.  

After several years in Europe, he returned to the NHL and retired with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009. Heward has been an Asst. Coach for the Henderson Silver Knights since 2020. Former Monsters captain Ryan Craig is the head coach for Henderson. 

Jamie Pushor - 2004 - Drafted by Detroit in 1991. 

Pushor played 147 games with the Jackets and had 22 points. After three different stints with the CBJ, he retired in 2007 while playing for the Syracuse Crunch. 

He is now the Assistant. General Manager and Director of Player Personnel for the Tampa Bay Lightning with former CBJ Mathieu Darche. 

Ron Hainsey - 2006-2008 - Drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2000.

Hainsey played 213 games with the Jackets and totaled 83 points.

After retiring in 2021 and playing 1,132 games, he now works for the NHLPA where he is the Assistant Executive Director. 

Hainsey is Actor Michael Madsen's doppelgänger. 

Anton Strålman - 2010-2011 - Drafted by Toronto in 2005. 

He played 124 games with Columbus and totaled 52 points over two seasons. He left Columbus for the New York Rangers in 2011.

After 16 seasons and 938 NHL games, he retired in 2024 and became a coach for Skultorps IF, a professional women's soccer team in Sweden. In January of 2025, he came out of retirement to play for Tibro IK, a Division Three team in his hometown in Sweden. 

Nikita Nikitin - 2012-2014 - Drafted by St. Louis in 2004. 

Nikitin played in 158 games for the Jackets and had 56 points. He only played 101 more NHL games after his time with Columbus. 

He left for the KHL in 2016 and retired in 2019. He's currently an assistant coach for Omskie Krylia of the VHL in Russia. 

Elite prospects said of Nikitin, "Nikitin has a terrific combination of size and mobility. He handles the puck nicely and can rush it up the ice. Can unleash a hard point shot, too. Could stand to play a more physical game, given his frame."

Adam Clendening - 2019 - Drafted by Chicago in 2011. 

Clendening played four games for the Jackets in 18-19. He has never played another NHL game and left for Europe in 2023. He also spent a couple years playing for the Cleveland Monsters. 

He currently plays for the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL and was just named an assistant Captain. His head coach is former CBJ bench boss Gerard Gallant. 

Elite prospects said this about the former second-round pick, "A smooth skating two-way defenseman that can read the game like a forward. Possesses slick hands, a good stick, and a sharp shot that jumps off his stick. All-in-all, a productive two-way defenseman that has a high offensive ceiling and is responsible defensively."

Billy Sweezey - 2023 - Undrafted out of Hanson, Massachusetts.

Sweezey played 9 games with Columbus and had a single point. He spent most of his time with Cleveland of the AHL, playing three seasons and totaling 26 points.

He signed with his hometown Boston Bruins in 2024 and is signed to play for the Boston Organization for this season as well. 

There are six days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #6?

The start of the 2025-26 season starts this Thursday, as the CBJ travel to Nashville to play the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. 

The season kicks off this Thursday in Nashville against the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. This is going to be an interesting season, and if the Jackets can stay healthy, they should have a decent year. 

There are so many questions that need to be answered. 

1. How will the goalies perform?
2. Can they keep up the scoring?
3. Will the defense step up and play better than they have for the last few years?

With the loss of Daemon Hunt and Christián Jaroš, the Monsters are very young on the blueline. After Dysin Mayo, who is 29, the oldest defenseman on the team is 22. Four defensemen are 22, and then Luca Marrelli, who is 20. 

It's going to be an interesting season in Cleveland. 

Let us know what you think below.

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Jets’ league-best defense highlights how the team as a whole continues to be discounted, despite back-to-back seasons of elite defensive dominance.  

Anchored by the league’s top defense, the Winnipeg Jets’ recent success has been no fluke. Yet, despite this, many media outlets continue to overlook their strongest asset in an elite defensive core that deserves far more recognition. 

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Harman Dayal and James Mirtle released their rankings of the NHL’s top defensive units and the Jets were notably absent from the top tier. Instead, they were grouped with middle-of-the-pack defenses like the Canucks and Oilers, a surprising placement for a team widely regarded for its defensive prowess. 

Injuries Present Career Opportunity for Jets' Nikita ChibrikovWith injuries to key forwards,

In the top tier, the Colorado Avalanche led the pack, followed by the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes. Notably, the Jets outperformed all of these teams last season, finishing with a league-best average of just 2.32 goals against per game. Among this group, only the Avalanche had more goals scored by defensemen thanks largely to Cale Makar. 

In the second tier, the Vancouver Canucks led the way, followed by the Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, and then Winnipeg. But when it comes to defensive performance, the Jets were clearly a cut above everyone again. They allowed the fewest goals in the league (190), 13 fewer goals ahead of the next closest team, the LA Kings. Winnipeg also gave up the fewest even-strength goals and were tied for the fifth-fewest power-play goals against (41), alongside the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.

While rankings and perceptions continue to try and switch the narrative, the numbers tell a completely different story, one that paints the Jets’ blue line as not just good, but the very best in the league for two straight seasons now. Whether it’s limiting goals, shutting down power plays, or simply keeping the puck out of their net better than anyone else, the team's that play the Jets know how difficult it is to go against their defense. 

Including the injured Dylan Samberg, who’s expected to miss one to two months in the evaluation overlooks the fact that Winnipeg’s defense has consistently performed at a high level for years. Once again, it feels like bulletin board material for a team that still has Stanley Cup aspirations and is looking to build on last season’s second-round playoff run.

Jets Keep Getting Snubbed: Sportsbooks the Latest to Disrespect Kyle ConnorThe Winnipeg Jets and star winger Kyle Connor continue to be overlooked and underappreciated, as sportsbooks once again fail to do their homework, offering a prime opportunity for payback.  

The Detroit Red Wings are scheduled to begin the 2025-26 NHL campaign against the Montreal Canadiens the evening of Oct. 9, which is now just over 48 hours away. 

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Prior to the game at Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings will once again be hosting the red carpet walk outside of the venue, which is a prime chance for fans to get photos and autographs from some of their favorite players. 

As one of the great traditions in hockey, are you going to be taking part and try and snag an autograph or selfie with your favorite player? 

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The 2025-26 NHL Season is officially just hours away now, as the campaign begins for a handful of teams on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings remain on the presipace of their centennial season, which begins on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena. 

There will be a massive youth injection into the roster in Detroit, as notable Steve Yzerman draft selections like Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Emmitt Finnie, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård all made the cut. 

While these players are starting their careers in Detroit, a handful of notable former Red Wings players have learned their fate for the upcoming season. 

To begin with, former Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman, who was traded last offseason to the San Jose Sharks and was later flipped again to the Edmonton Oilers, cashed in big time. He inked a seven-year contract worth $7 million per season, a total of $49 million. 

Walman was acquired by the Oilers at last season's NHL Trade Deadline, and helped Edmonton to a second straight appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, a series they ultimately lost yet again to the Florida Panthers; Walman contributed two goals with eight assists in 22 postseason games. 

ALL IN WALMAN 🔒

The #Oilers have signed defenceman Jake Walman to a seven-year contract extension with an AAV of $7 million! pic.twitter.com/ruRAYXGqcn

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 6, 2025

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However, the news received by former Red Wings Robby Fabbri and James Reimer wasn't as positive.

Both players were released from their respective Professional Tryout Agreements. Fabbri had been attempting to earn a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Reimer was trying to do the same with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team he spent the first several seasons of his career with, including an appearance in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Fabbri played twice during the recently-completed pre-season against the Red Wings, scoring a goal. He was acquired by the Red Wings in November 2019 from the St. Louis Blues for Jacob de la Rose, and would go on to play the next five seasons in Detroit. 

Thriller: Red Wings Beat Maple Leafs In Final Pre-Season Tune-UpThere aren't many regular season games that offer as much excitement as what was provided on Saturday night in Detroit, but the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs made the most of things. 

Meanwhile, Reimer played the second half for Toronto of the thrilling 6-5 overtime victory by the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday. He played a lone campaign with Detroit in 2023-24, winning 11 games and posting a .904 save percentage. 

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Sending Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg and Justin Carbonneau down to the minors or juniors is what's best for them, even if the prospect of them playing in the NHL is exciting.

The St. Louis Blues will have three UFA forwards next off-season, those being Oskar Sundqvist, Alexei Toropchenko and Mathieu Joseph. Alexandre Texier is also an RFA who could walk away from the team.

None of the above players are guaranteed to be re-signed, which opens up possible roster spots for Dvorsky, Stenberg and Carbonneau, who all showed flashes of what they could bring to the table at the NHL level. Their 'demotions' weren't because they aren't good enough; it's because Jim Montgomery wants them to round out their game and enter the NHL as NHL-ready as possible. 

"I want him to gain that next-play speed," said Montgomery of Carbonneau. "When the puck transitions from offense to defense that he gets above it. Anyone that's been a scorer, they hang and hope for a turnover, so they're in a better offensive position. That's kind of what we talked to him about. Watch McDavid, watch MacKinnon, watch Crosby, Aho... when he was on the ice with our players, he naturally was the last guy coming back into our end every time. That's just next-play speed: 'I've got to do this.'"

Expectations are greater now for the 18-year-old, who has a real shot at earning a spot on Team Canada's world junior roster. Since returning to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Carbonneau has notched two goals in his first two games.

Dvorsky and Stenberg are heading back to the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL for their sophomore seasons, prepared to take on larger roles and dominate.

Dvorsky recorded 21 goals and 45 points in 61 games last season, while Stenberg added five goals and 17 points in 38 games. Dvorsky and Stenberg may have been the most impressive prospects in pre-season. Dvorsky potted a goal and an assist in four games, showing poise on both sides of the puck, while Stenberg also finished with a goal and an assist in three games, showing an intent to win the puck back, using his speed and fierce forechecking nature.

It wouldn't be shocking to see the 20-year-olds receive call-ups to the NHL at some point during the regular season.

Although the opening could be there for the three youngsters to make next year's roster, they'll still have several players to compete with. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki was stellar in his pre-season action and impressed Montgomery, who said the 21-year-old was one of the hardest players to cut alongside Stenberg. 

Other prospects like Juraj Pekarcik, Zach Dean, Nikita Alexandrov, Simon Robertsson and Jakub Stancl could be competitors if they take the next step in their development this season. 

The Blues have approached their prospects with patience, and that patience could pay off next season.