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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 14 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #14. 

Let's take a look.

Ray Whitney - 2001-2003 - Drafted by San Jose in 1991. 

Whitney played 151 games as a Jacket and was the Captain for one. During the one year he was the Captain, he scored 24 goals and totaled 76 points, which set a CBJ record. Ray Whitney is the best player to have worn #14 for the Blue Jackets.

When Ray Whitney was traded to the Blue Jackets, the 28-year-old had already played 528 games in the NHL spanning 10 seasons. But he had never played a full 82-game season; he only averaged 53 games a year. So, when the CBJ traded for him in 2001, fans were as excited as ever for the fledgling franchise. They were getting a goal-scorer and a relatively young playmaker.

After his time with Columbus, he went on to play for another 10 years and a total of 1,330 games. He played a total of 22 seasons in the NHL and had over 1,000 points. He would retire in 2015. 

In a game at Nationwide Arena in November 2001 against the St. Louis Blues, Whitney scored this goal, which is still a legendary goal in CBJ history. The radio call from play-by-play icon George Matthews, with his partner Bill Davidge, still gives me chills.

Greg Mauldin - 2004 - Drafted by Columbus in 2002. 

Played 6 games for Columbus and had no points. He went on to play 30 more NHL games after leaving Columbus.

Mauldin left for Europe in 2012, where he played in Switzerland, Russia, Germany, and Norway. He played until 2024 before retiring. 

Raffi Torres - 2009-2010 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2000. 

Torres played 111 games for the Jackets and had 51 points. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on March 3, 2010. 

Torres retired on November 5, 2016.

Grant Clitsome - 2011-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2004.

He played 93 games for Columbus and had 36 points before being put on waivers on February 26, 2012. 

On June 1, 2016, Clitsome retired after suffering a serious shoulder injury. 

Blake Comeau - 2013-2014 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004. 

Comeau played 79 games and had 21 points for the CBJ. In the summer of 2014, he left in free agency to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He would go on to play 909 games in the NHL and retired during the 21-22 season. 

Dean Kukan - 2015-2022 - Kukan is undrafted out of Volketswil, Switzerland.

Dean Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after playing the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters. After playing in 8 games near the end of the season, he was sent back to Lake Erie and would help the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup. He had 5 points in 17 playoff games.

Kukan would bounce up and down between Columbus and Cleveland until 2022. He would play a total of 153 games for the CBJ and total 30 points. He excelled in the minors, though. He played in 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a fairly skilled two-way defenseman.

After the 2022 season, Kukan made the decision to return to Europe. He returned to his home country of Switzerland to play for his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract. 

Kukan is also routinely chosen to represent the Swiss in international competitions. He played in the 2025 IIHF World Championships, where he scored 9 points in 10 games. He also played in 5 games for Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics. 

Gustav Nyquist - 2020-2023 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004. 

Nyquist played 200 games as a Jacket before being traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2023. During his time in Columbus, which included a missed season due to injury, he scored 43 goals and had 117 points. 

After being traded to the Wild, he would leave that summer and sign with the Nashville Predators in 2023 on a two-year deal. On 1 March 2025, he was traded back to the Wild to finish the season. On 2 July 2025, Nyquist signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets. He is currently unsigned. 

Gus Nyquist and his family still live in the Columbus area. 

Joseph LaBate - 2025 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2011. 

LaBate played a total of six games for the Blue Jackets during the 2024-25 season. He originally signed a PTO with the Cleveland Monsters, but in November, the CBJ signed him to a one-year deal, which allowed him to play for Columbus. 

LaBate signed a one-year deal with Vancouver this past offseason. 

There are 14 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

On Thursday, training camp officially begins for the Philadelphia Flyers, and for some, the next two weeks will be an important inflection point in their careers.

Opening night is less than two weeks from now, with the Flyers starting their season against the archrival Pittsburgh Penguins in a playoff rematch on Sept. 30.

By then, the Flyers will have played four preseason games and cut their roster in half, going from 46 players to the allotted 23 they'll begin the season with.

This is all to say that anyone fighting for a roster spot, or anyone fighting to prove themselves to head coach Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff, isn't going to have a whole lot of time to make it happen. Every practice session and preseason game will be of great importance.

But, not everyone has to prove their skills on the ice. For some, it's about everything else.

Matvei Michkov

At the age of 21, Matvei Michkov already has 114 points in 161 games and quickly established as one of the Flyers' premier forwards, despite the fact that he averaged just 14:50 of ice time last season and 15:45 in his NHL career to date.

As we all know by now, the Russian phenom joined up with the Flyers last training camp at a weight much higher than he should've been (205, according to his own words), but Michkov now claims to be 176 pounds and at 10% body fat, acknowledging that he can already feel the difference.

This will go a long way towards getting back in the good graces of Tocchet and the Flyers. If Michkov is truly rejuvenated and in the best shape of his NHL career, Year 3 should be the best one yet, considering he now has two full seasons of experience to draw on.

Of course, Michkov will need to show his progress on the ice and in the weight room throughout training camp if he is to assume a top-six role under Tocchet.

If that test is passed, it will be a massive relief for all parties involved.

David Jiricek

The Flyers have high hopes David Jiricek, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft, will take a step forward and prove that he is ready for the NHL limelight.

The 22-year-old is no longer waivers-exempt and will have to be exposed to the other 31 NHL teams if the Flyers deem he has to spend more time in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

On the other hand, is spot on the roster is the most obvious for the taking, with Noah Juulsen now out of the picture and leaving a third-pair vacancy behind Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen.

There are a few boxes Jiricek will need to check, primarily in regards to decision-making and defending, but the puck skills and shooting ability are there. Even if Jiricek begins as a power play specialist, it's a starting point that opens the door for him to grow into an expanded role from there.

Jiricek is on his third NHL organization since being drafted, and it's likely now or never to establish himself as an every-day NHL player. With the Flyers, he has the best possible opportunity to make it happen.

Jett Luchanko

To preface, Jett Luchanko probably won't and shouldn't be expected to stick on the NHL roster out of the gate as he did the previous two seasons; it's not the best thing for his development.

That said, though, Luchanko is probably as healthy as he's been in a long time after undergoing a procedure to correct a nagging injury, which has considerably improved his already good skating - his No. 1 trait as a player.

The 20-year-old former 13th overall pick needs only to make the decision a hard one for the Flyers and show that he will be gunning to make this roster in the near future.

In my first edition of the Flyers' depth chart, I noted that I expect the Flyers to bring Luchanko up first if any of their centers go down with an injury, especially if the injury is significant. That allows for more reps for one of their most talented forward prospects.

With a strong training camp performance, Luchanko can re-establish himself as a premier prospect in the system and set himself up for a strong first professional season.

At full strength and with a shortened training camp, Luchanko should show the Flyers his best hockey yet.

Drake Batherson is staying in Ottawa for the long haul.

The Hockey News' Steve Warne and co-host Gregg Kennedy break down Batherson’s eight-year, $82-million contract extension, including the timing, trade protection and why his commitment matters after a turbulent summer for the Senators.

Also discussed:

Batherson’s new deal: Is $10.25 million per season a fair price, and could the contract eventually become a bargain?

The NHL’s salary explosion: How offer sheets, a rising cap and massive young-player contracts could affect Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub and other Senators.

An unusually short training camp: With few roster openings and limited preseason action, do Ottawa’s bubble players have any real opportunity?

The end of fitness testing: Why the NHL’s new training-camp rules have left some coaches concerned.

Ottawa’s prospects shine: Jaxon Cover’s seven-point weekend headlines an impressive showing that also included Kasper Halttunen, Christian Kyrou and others.

Goaltending questions: Cam Talbot lands in Columbus, while Ottawa must decide whether to begin the season with Linus Ullmark, Samuel Ersson and Leevi Meriläinen.

That's all in this episode of Sens Nation, the official Senators podcast of The Hockey News.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

The Montreal Canadiens' training camp opened on Wednesday, but there were no on-ice sessions scheduled, unlike previous years, and thanks to the new CBA, players didn’t have to face grueling physical tests. On Wednesday, all they had to do was undergo medical tests. While they were doing that, coach Martin St-Louis was back in the conference room fielding questions from the media.

The bench boss made it clear he’s happy the camp is streamlined and won’t last as long as it did before; St-Louis wants to hit the ground running. From the start, we’ll see the 57 players invited to camp split into three teams: A, B, and C.

Canadiens: More On The Newhook Contract
Canadiens: The Big Question With The Xhekaj Contract
Canadiens’ Bolduc Thought It Was Important To Stay As Long As Possible

On Thursday, Team A will hit the ice first at 10:30 AM and will feature the players who will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. Team B, who’ll practice at 11:50 AM, will feature the players who will take on the Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday evening. As for Team C, it will take to the ice at 1:00 PM,

While the coach was very forthcoming last season in telling the media that Kirby Dach would be starting camp as the second-line center, he made no such declaration this time around. St-Louis played it safe, saying his team has some good depth and some options. He didn’t go as far as naming those options, but one can imagine they include Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook. Despite how last season's playoffs ended, it would be surprising if they considered Jake Evans. What is the pilot looking for in a second-line center? That he was willing to share:

You have to be pretty good on draws. Guys who play center usually need a good computer and to complement other players; there’s not just one thing. Suzuki is our first center; there’s no debate on that, but looking at the other spots in the lineup, I don’t see it as: this is the first line, this is the second line, this is the third line. I don’t see it that way. I think we have a lot of depth, and of course some lines have more opportunities to provide offence, while others are relied on more to contribute defensively, but that doesn’t mean they don’t play offensively and our top guys don’t play defensively. So, you ask me what I want from a center who perhaps plays with more offensive players: I want him to have a balanced game, to be able to do pretty much everything on the ice.

- St-Louis on what he needs from a second-line center

Given how short the camp is, the first player that the Habs try in that position may very well be the one St-Louis sees as the frontrunner right now. We’ll see when the three groups hit the ice on Thursday.

Unsurprisingly, St-Louis was also asked about the possibility of playing Arber Xhekaj as a forward, and you could tell that’s not his first choice. He said he wouldn't be afraid to do it, especially if Xhekaj wasn’t going to play as a defenseman on a given night and the Habs had injuries up front, but he added that he’s first and foremost a defenseman and could still improve in that role.

As things stand, the Habs are set to practice at the CN Sports complex in Brossard on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Monday, Team A will be practising in Trois-Rivières, while Teams B and C will be in Brossard. The players will have a day off on Tuesday, then return to practice in Brossard on Wednesday the 23rd, Thursday the 24th, Friday the 25th, and Saturday the 26th.

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The Islanders open training camp — which are now shorter than past camps per the new CBA — with news that Mathew Barzal will not skate for all of it “due to aggravation of a prior injury that has caused some inflammation.”

So we are starting the season with Barzal out, and on Health Watch. That’s, that’s a bummer, man.

Islanders News

• Here is the Isles’ PR statement announcing Barzal’s status, which amusingly includes the uncharacteristic and unattributed line, “There is nobody more committed than Mathew to getting his body to the level where he thrives on the ice.“ [Isles]
• Here’s the full training camp roster. No alarms and no surprises, please—oops, too late. [Isles]
• The beatwriters try to add a bit more context on Barzal. [Newsday | Post]
• Andrew Gross also got the ol’ “5 questions” treatment as the Isles begin camp. [Newsday]
• Or call it a “bevy” of questions from Sears. [Post]
• Kashawn Aitcheson spent some time this summer training with Bo Horvat, the new captain who will presumably one day be cashing some on-ice checks that Aitcheson writes, so to speak. [Isles]
• The Islanders are doing another season of their docuseries (more on that below). [Newsday]

So yes, On The Island, Season 2 has begun. This one covers Kyle Palmieri’s offseason recovery and the Single Malte draft. (Does not cover Anders Lee’s departure, alas.) The prospects’ interactions with kids is pretty heartwarming, too. The title references a scout who’s been here nearly 50 years, who’s dad (passed away in 1979) helped convince Bill Torrey to pick Mike Bossy (How have we not heard this before? Have we heard this before?). Also, Eric Boulton looking like your beer league teammate and Trent Klatt like Ray Liotta:

Elsewhere

• Ooooh the drama in Winnipeg escalates, as Connor Hellebuyck does not report to camp, gets suspended. (Come on, man. Understand that your position and the huge contract you signed just a couple years ago might take a while to trade.) [NHL]
• In totally unrelated news, fellow trade requestor Dylan Larkin will miss the start of Red Wings training camp due to an injury with “no timeline.” [NHL]
• Gabriel Landeskog is old school, says he’s not sure all these trade demands are good. [Sportsnet]
• The Leafs have enlisted a couple former first-overalls, a future free agent and a robot, to help mentor Gavin McKenna. [NHL]
• But one of them, Auston Matthews, is totally committed to the Leafs, I swear. [NHL]
• Here’s the jukebox treatment on why Matthews is still a Leaf and will be one forever, I swear. [Sportsnet]
• Brent Burns has a new beard and is 57 games away from matching Phil Kessell’s ironman record. [NHL]
• A general primer on the Houston or Austin expansion situation, including info on the multi-club owner. [ESPN]

The Penguins get to work today officially for the start of the franchise’s 60th season. Pens Points is back to catch up on news and notes for the occasion.

The top storylines we’re tracking for the start of camp, which just so happens to be about the exact same questions as last year. [PensBurgh]

And here’s the opening camp roster with an early schedule through the weekend. [PensBurgh]

Sidney Crosby hasn’t signed a contract extension yet, but is feeling no rush to do so with his agent and the team handling talks. [Tribune Review]

A look at the philosophies and personality behind how Kyle Dubas works at re-shaping the Penguins. [Post-Gazette]

The Penguins have signed a deal with US Steel to jump on board as the team’s new helmet sponsor. Perhaps wisely it’s only for a promotional sticker and not for the manufacture of said equipment. [Penguins.com]

Cheers to former Penguin Ryan Reaves, who announced his retirement yesterday after 16 NHL seasons and 962 career games. [TSN]

With Reaves hangin’ the skates up, only three players remain for next season in the NHL who don’t wear a visor with that rule grandfathered in. Can you guess without clicking (answer below) [Reddit]

Speaking of grandfathered equipment changes, there’s only one new rule change for players in the NHL in 2026-27: any player who makes their NHL debut this season and beyond are required to wear a neck guard. Such protection remains optional for all players who already have played at least one prior NHL game. [Toronto Sun]

A list of players who must clear waivers for the first time in 2026-27 in order to be sent to the AHL. Pittsburgh entries: goalie Taylor Gauthier and forward Ville Koivunen. [Puck Pedia]

Good guy Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t forget his billet family, reaching out to invite them to be included with his QMJHL Hall of Fame proceedings. [CBC]

Former Penguin Jordan Staal has extended his contract in 2027-28 with Carolina for a $4.9 million cap hit with up to $5.1 million (!) more in performance bonuses. [Hurricanes.com]

New Utah teammates Vincent Trocheck and Logan Cooley have a long history dating back to their days in Pittsburgh. [NHL.com]

After shoulder surgery last month, Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins has failed a physical and isn’t expected back ‘anytime soon’. The Blue Jackets have recently added 39-year old goalie Cam Talbot to join Jet Greaves in net. [X – Portzline]

Mat Barzal’s status for the start of the regular season is in question after the announcement he won’t be skating at all for the next two weeks due to ‘inflammation’. (The Pens and Islanders don’t meet for the first time until January though, if you were wondering). [Islanders.com]

Drew Doughty is the new captain of the LA Kings. [NHL.com]

Connor Hellebuyck, who made a trade request public, decided not to show up to the start of Winnipeg’s training camp. The Jets have now suspended Hellebuyck, who won’t be getting paid in the regular season until he reports to the Jets or gets that trade in a situation that might get even uglier and messier in the coming weeks. [Sportsnet]

A handful of players got polled at media day about hot topics around the NHL like expansion, trade requests and what coach they would like to play for. [The Athletic $]

Trivia answer from above – the three remaining visor-less players signed to the NHL this year: Ryan O’Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Jamie Benn.

Time to drop the puck and get to work!