6 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #6

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.

How will the goalies perform?
Can they keep up the scoring?
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.

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