The Blue Jackets’ first quarter century includes some big NHL names.

Sergei Fedorov, for example, was a Blue Jacket for three seasons near the end of his illustrious career. Artemi Panarin was a Blue Jacket for two years before jumping ship to join the New York Rangers. Jeff Carter and Marian Gaborik were Blue Jackets, albeit malcontents, and both were traded.

Johnny Gaudreau went the other direction in 2022, signing with the Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent, but got only two seasons in Columbus before a tragedy Aug. 29, 2024, took his life along with his brother Matthew’s life as they biked in New Jersey. Patrik Laine is another big name who played for the Blue Jackets, but he wanted out after four injury-plagued seasons.

Although an argument could be made for Gaudreau, none reached the level of all-time great for the Blue Jackets, who are celebrating their silver anniversary. That’s a status reserved for an exclusive club that includes current and former players who became household names in Columbus. 

 Here are six Blue Jackets pillars for the franchise’s first 25 years:

Jenner was selected by the Blue Jackets in 2011 (second round) and made his NHL debut in 2013. He was eight years into his career when former coach Brad Larsen assigned him the captain’s ‘C’ prior to the 2021-22 season. Jenner, 31, is the seventh captain in franchise history and will wear that letter for a fifth straight year. 

Injuries over the past four years have cost him 117 games, but Jenner still ranks in the top five in 11 all-time categories. He holds the top spot in games played (741) and hits (1,662) while ranking second in power-play goals (43) and takeaways (330).

It’s been four years since Atkinson last wore the Blue Jackets’ uniform, and his name is still at or near the top of several statistical all-time ranks. He’s first in short-handed goals (16) and hat tricks (six), second only to Rick Nash in points (402), goals (213), shots (1,883) and game-winning goals (42), and ranks third in games (627). 

Atkinson also ranks fifth in assists (189), and his 41 goals in 2018-19 remains tied with Nash’s 41 goals in 2003-04 for the franchise high in a season. Selected in 2008 with a sixth-round pick (157th overall), the plucky underdog forward from Boston College overcame long odds to become a Blue Jackets star.

Before backstopping the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final the past three years, including back-to-back championships in the past two, Bobrovsky rose to NHL stardom in Columbus. His prowess earned Bobrovsky the Vezina Trophy twice as the league’s top goalie and Blue Jackets fans loved his nickname. 

“Bob” played seven seasons in Columbus and helped the Jackets reach the playoffs four times. He struggled in the postseason for three of those years, but the fourth included Bobrovsky contributing to a shocking 2019 sweep of the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. 

Bobrovsky, who signed with Florida as a free agent July 1, 2019, still ranks first in Blue Jackets history in almost every all-time goaltending statistic.

Foligno wore the captain’s ‘C’ for the Blue Jackets from 2015-2021 and became their most recognizable player while doing it. He pushed his teammates to not accept mediocrity or poor efforts, which combined perfectly with hard-driving former coach John Tortorella. 

Foligno played nine seasons for the Blue Jackets and etched his name into multiple all-time statistical categories, but there’s one goal that burned brightest for Blue Jackets fans. Foligno scored in overtime on April 23, 2014, against the Pittsburgh Penguins to deliver the first home playoff victory in franchise history. 

The Blue Jackets dropped the series, but Foligno’s goal and ensuing celebration from his knees became part of Columbus lore instantly.

Werenski is in the prime of his NHL career at age 28, so it’s easy to forget sometimes that he’s already one of the elite defensemen who’s ever played in the league. 

That’s not hyperbole. If he stays on his current trajectory, Werenski is heading toward hockey’s hall of fame. He’s already the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history, finished second in voting for the Norris Trophy last season, an award that goes to the NHL’s top defensemen, and Werenski’s name near the top of the the Jackets’ all-time rankings. 

Werenski has also thrived in a leadership role as an alternate captain and filled in as de facto captain for almost five months last season while Jenner recovered from shoulder surgery.

Nash remains the only player in franchise history who was picked first overall. Former general manager Doug MacLean traded up from the third pick to take the hulking power forward from the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, and Nash didn’t disappoint. 

He’s now rising in the Blue Jackets’ front office as the director of hockey operations and hopes to someday become the GM, but his status as the team’s all-time best player is undisputed. Nash ranks at or near the top of almost every statistical category for the Blue Jackets, who got 674 career games over nine seasons out of Nash before trading him to the New York Rangers.

Nash requested the trade out of frustration at the franchise’s inability to compete for a playoff spot regularly, but he kept Columbus as his home base each summer. After retiring in 2019 at age 34 due to concussion-related complications, Nash returned to Columbus and began his executive path with the Blue Jackets.

He remains the team’s career leader in points (547), goals (289), power-play goals (83), game-winning goals (43) and shots (2,278) while ranking second in games (674), assists (258), shorthanded goals (14) and hat tricks (five).

Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social