Nash, Bobrovsky highlight Blue Jackets’ NHL quarter-century team

In continuing the unveiling of quarter-century teams, the Columbus Blue Jackets were next on the docket Thursday, as the NHL revealed its selection of the top players who have competed for the Ohio club over the past 25 years.

Leading the way for the first squad is former captain Rick Nash. Selected by Columbus atop the 2002 NHL Draft, Nash immediately joined the Blue Jackets as an 18-year-old before ultimately spending nine seasons with the club. Today, Nash remains the franchise leader in all major offensive categories, including goals (289), assists (258), and points (547). Among his top accomplishments with the Blue Jackets, Nash headlined the NHL with 41 goals during the 2003-04 campaign.

Also up front is Cam Atkinson, another Blue Jackets draftee who spent part of 10 seasons with the club from 2011 to 2021. Alongside Nash, Atkinson is the only other Blue Jackets skater to have ever reached the 40-goal plateau, as during the 2018-19 campaign he notched 41 tallies. Atkinson sits second to Nash in franchise scoring with 402 points.

Rounding out the forward group is superstar forward Artemi Panarin, who despite spending just two seasons in Columbus dazzled with a combined 151 points through 160 contests. Panarin was a part of the 2018-19 Blue Jackets squad that swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round of the postseason and ultimately paced the team with 11 points through 10 postseason appearances.

The first-team blue line counts Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. Spending part of six seasons in Columbus, Jones set a then franchise mark for single-season points by a defenseman when he collected 16 goals and 41 assists in 2017-18. Werenski then matched that 57-point total six years later, coming up with 11 goals and 46 assists during the 2023-24 season. The two stand as the top-two most productive rearguards in franchise history, with Werenski at 342 points and Jones with 223 points.

Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky shined through seven seasons in Columbus, underscored by two-time Vezina Trophy recognition in 2012-13 and 2016-17. Bobrovsky was particularly dominant during his second Vezina title when he posted 41 wins with a .931 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average through 63 games. The Russian-born goaltender remains the franchise’s all-time winner with 213 career victories.

Headlining the second squad is star winger Johnny Gaudreau, the club’s big-ticket offseason addition in 2022 who through two seasons in Ohio combined for 134 points in 161 games. In his first season with the Blue Jackets, Gaudreau became just the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 50-assist plateau as he finished with 53 helpers in 80 games.

Joining Gaudreau up front is current captain Boone Jenner as well as former leader Nick Foligno. A 2011 second-round selection, Jenner has spent his entire career with Columbus where through a franchise-record 715 career appearances he has collected 192 goals and 172 assists for 364 points, good for third in club history behind Nash and Atkinson. For Foligno, the veteran leader spent part of nine seasons with the club, highlighted by 2016-17 when he took home major hardware including the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as well as the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award. Foligno ranks fifth in franchise scoring with 334 points in 599 games.

On the back end, the Blue Jackets’ second team counts David Savard and Fedor Tyutin. A 2009 fourth-round selection by the Blue Jackets, Savard spent part of 10 seasons in Columbus, underscored by 2014-15 when he reached new career highs in all major categories including 11 goals, 25 assists, and 36 points. Savard ranks fourth all-time among Columbus defensemen with 166 points in 597 games. For Tyutin, through eight seasons with the Blue Jackets, the Russian rearguard saw 553 contests, second to only Savard’s 597 games, among defensemen. Through it all, Tyutin registered 39 goals and 146 assists for 185 points.

In the blue paint, goaltender Steve Mason is recognized for his five seasons with the Blue Jackets. Mason’s impressive showing began with a dominant rookie season in 2008-09 in which he went 33-20-7 alongside a .916 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average to claim the Calder Trophy. Mason sits second in franchise history in both wins (96) and shutouts (19).