The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had two players wear #54, and none since 2019. 

Today we'll look at who has worn it, what they did, and where they are now. 

Scott Harrington - Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17. 

During his time in the Columbus organization, he would also play 52 games for the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 7 total points. 

Harrington would sign with San Jose in 2022 and then be traded to New Jersey in February of 2023. New Jersey would then put him on waivers a few days later, where he would be picked up by Anaheim and play 17 games. 

In 2023, Harrington would leave for Europe and play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. After playing just 14 games in 23-24, he would return to North America for the 24-25 season and play for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. 

As of now, he hasn't signed on anywhere to play for 25-26. 

Adam McQuaid - Columbus originally drafted McQuaid in the 2nd round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. McQuaid would never play for the CBJ, though. While he was still in the OHL, he was traded to Boston by Columbus for Boston's 5th-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, on May 16, 2007. The pick that the Jackets sent to Boston ended up being Jamie Benn. 

After playing nine years in Boston, he was traded to the Rangers in 2018. But in 2019, McQuaid was traded to Columbus from New York to help the Jackets with their playoff push. He played in 14 games to end the season before suffering an injury that would ultimately end his career. 

On March 28, 2019, Montreal’s Andrew Shaw gave McQuaid a nasty blindside shot that took him out of the game, and his career. McQuaid told The Athletic, “I definitely wasn’t in a good place physically. Then it weighed on me mentally. I wasn’t feeling like myself. I had many injuries throughout my career, unfortunately. That became part of my story. I look at it more as having overcome different injuries, come back, try to play the same way and not have it affect my outlook on playing. But I was probably at a point where I had the most going on. I had so many different things that were really nagging me. I felt like I wanted to give more. But you hear guys say that they’re asking their bodies to do things and just not getting the response they want.”

McQuaid would finish his career 73 points and one Stanley Cup. 

Who was your favorite #54?

There are 54 days to go until opening night at NWA. 

Let us know what you think below.

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The New Jersey Devils will be looking to take another step in the right direction in 2025-26 after getting back into the playoffs this past spring. They certainly have a good-looking roster on paper, as they have big-time stars in Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge.

Yet, the Devils have some players who could be nice surprises for them in 2025-26, too. Let's discuss two of them now. 

Cody Glass

Cody Glass proved to be a solid fit after the Devils acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. In 14 games with the Devils following the trade, he posted two goals, seven points, and a plus-4 rating. This was after he had just four goals in 15 points in 51 games with the Penguins before the trade.

Clearly, the move to the Devils benefited Glass, and it is going to be interesting to see if he can build off it in 2025-26. The potential for the 2017 first-round pick to be a strong part of the Devils' top nine is there if he can tap into his offensive potential a bit more next season. 

Thomas Bordeleau 

Earlier this off-season, the Devils acquired forward Thomas Bordeleau from the San Jose Sharks. While this was one of the smaller moves the Devils made this summer, fans should not sleep on Bordeleau. He has shown in the past that he can produce at the NHL level, and it will be interesting to see if the change of scenery benefits him, like it did Glass. 

Bordeleau showed promise with the Sharks during the 2023-24 season, specifically, as he recorded six goals and 11 points in 27 games. If he gets the chance to play on the Devils' NHL roster, the 23-year-old could give them their solid secondary scoring, which is a real need. 

New Devils Projected Top Six Has Interesting LookThe New Jersey Devils certainly have some decisions to make when it comes to their NHL roster. After bringing in multiple new players, there should be plenty of competition during training camp. This is especially so when noting that they also have young players who should be competing for spots, too. 

New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov sat down for an interview with The Slippery Ice program, and he touched on a lot. 

ЦЫПЛАКОВ | Из-за Овечкина остановили игру, Разборки со Спартаком, Штрафы в НХЛ | ЛЕДИнтервью с Максимом Цыплаковым: переход в НХЛ, адаптация в «Айлендерс», жизнь в США. Максим делится историей отказа от контракта со «Спартаком», выбором «Айл...

With the help of Hockey News Hub, here's some of the tranlsation from the interview: 

Why did Tsyplakov choose the Islanders?

“I had offers from Boston, Vegas, and Florida, but with the Islanders I saw the best chance to actually play — not just 5–7 minutes a game."

“They told me they saw me with Palmieri and Nelson. At first I didn't believe it, but then I was really playing on that line."

Tsyplakov also made a note that he wasn't chasing a dream to come to the NHL and would have stayed in Russia had Spartak offered him a fair team. 

What was his first NHL season like?

“I scored in my very first game — over 21 minutes of ice time. I was exhausted."

"The NHL game is different. It's more direct - everything forward, no risky passes. At first it felt robotic compared to Russia."

“I proved to myself I can play at this level.”

Tsyplakov wished he had scored more than 10 goals, but said that he saw a lot of growth in his game and is hopeful that he can make more of an impact on the scoresheet in year two. 

Lamoriello & Fines

"Lou Lamoriello is strict - clean shave, dress code, everything. But I actually like that kind of discipline."

“I got fined around $15,000 after my suspension — that money goes into a league fund. It stings.”

“Fines for small things in the locker room are $500. You learn quickly.”

Tsyplakov was fined and suspended for his hit against Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Peopling back on Jan. 16. 

“I still don't fully understand why I was suspended. To me, it was a clean hit.”

“The team supported me. Lou said, 'Better not to fight this one, so they don't target you later.'”

“My mistake was not fighting right away — then the guys kept coming after me.”

"In Philly, they kept cross-checking and chirping all game. Finally I dropped the gloves with Lawton. We wrestled more than punched, but at least it was done."

“Matt Martin gave me advice - who you can fight, who you shouldn't. That helped."

On his teammates:

“I asked if I could play music in the room. They said no. I put it on anyway - same as I did in Spartak.”

“Sorokin sold me out — he told everyone I blasted my playlist on day two.” (laughs)

“Palmieri, Bailey, Cizikas, Clutterbuck — the older guys all help. Having Russian guys like Sorokin, Romanov, and Varlamov also made it easier.”

Adapting to a new way of life:

“My English isn't perfect, but I studied with a tutor and forced myself to talk to foreign teammates. It gets easier.”

My wife had it harder - she didn't know English at first. Luckily, we found Russian-speaking neighbors with kids the same age."

“We rented a place, didn't buy. With a rookie contract, you don't know if you'll stay.”

"American food is so greasy. At first, it was uncomfortable. In Moscow, you get small portions - in New York, they bring a bucket of salad."

“I miss buckwheat and dumplings — we'd drive to Brighton Beach for Russian groceries."

On Patrick Roy: 

"Patrick Roy can be fiery. He once screamed at me for a mistake in the last 30 seconds of a period. He said, 'In the last five minutes, no risks — just dump it in.' I learned quickly.”

"The hardest thing was the long preseason — I felt overtrained before camp even started. Then came Roy's brutal conditioning drills. My legs were dead."

“Compared to Jamnov, Roy is more emotional and explosive.”

"Kovalchuk worked with me a lot in Spartak. He taught me how to create space near the boards and how to change tempo - slow down, then burst past a defender. That helped me in the NHL."

Agency Issues:

“My first agent disappeared after I signed. Didn't help me with housing or anything. Luckily a Russian-speaking friend of Romanov's helped with everything.”

“I later changed agents. Now I have people who actually care.”

Tsyplakov is now represented by Ryan Barnes of Quartex. 

On Facing Ovechkin:

“When Ovechkin scored, the game basically stopped. We just stood there, legs burning, watching. It was special.”

“After the game I shook his hand and told him, 'You're a machine.' It was my first time meeting him.”

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

The 2025-26 season is rapidly approaching, and it is going to be interesting to see how the Pittsburgh Penguins perform after their busy off-season. When looking at their current roster, they have some under-the-radar players who could end up being nice surprises for them in 2025-26. Let's discuss two of them. 

Philip Tomasino 

The Penguins acquired Philip Tomasino during this past season after he had a cold start to the campaign with the Nashville Predators. After posting one assist in 11 games with Nashville in 2024-25, Tomasino had 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games with Pittsburgh following the trade. Overall, the 24-year-old had a solid start to his Penguins tenure and will be looking to build off it. 

Tomasino has also shown early on in his career that he has the potential to provide decent offense when playing at his best. Perhaps this will be the year that the 2019 first-round breaks out and cements himself as a true top-six forward.

Justin Brazeau 

Justin Brazeau is a new Penguins forward who fans should not sleep on in 2025-26. The 6-foot-6 winger has shown promise early on in his NHL career, as he can provide decent secondary offense in addition to grit. During this past season, he set career highs with 11 goals, 11 assists, 22 points, and 123 hits in 76 games split between the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. 

When noting that Brazeau is only entering his third NHL season, the possibility of the 27-year-old breaking out should not be ruled. Thus, he could end up being a nice surprise for the Penguins in 2025-26. 

New Penguins Top Six Projection Has Intriguing LookThe Pittsburgh Penguins brought in several new players this off-season, so their lineup will certainly look different next season. They will also have plenty of decisions to make when it comes to assembling their lineup, so they will need to be watched closely during the pre-season.

After their eight-year playoff run ended last season, the Boston Bruins made moves to bolster their roster for a bounce-back performance in 2025-26. 

They acquired right winger Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers and signed free agents Tanner Jeannot, Sean Kuraly, Michael Eyssimont and Jordan Harris. 

Nevertheless, there's speculation suggesting the Bruins might not be done making moves during this off-season. 

RG.Org's James Murphy recently reported Casey Mittelstadt's future in Boston could be in question. The Bruins acquired the 26-year-old center and prospect winger William Zellers from the Colorado Avalanche in the Charlie Coyle deal before the March NHL trade deadline. 

Murphy claimed some observers believe the promising Zellers was the real target for the Bruins as they restock their prospect pool. They wonder if Mittelstadt could be dangled in the trade market at some point. 

If so, it'll mark the third time since March 2024 that Mittelstadt would be on the move. Back then, he was sent to the Avalanche by the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram.

The Hockey News’ Michael DeRosa said Mittelstadt is one of the Bruins’ top centers, but he only put up six points and a minus-17 rating in 18 games after last season’s trade. At his age, he has bounce-back potential.

Murphy also indicated that trade rumors have dogged Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and forward Pavel Zacha since the NHL draft in late June. However, Korpisalo's agent denied that his client was unhappy in Boston and wanted out, while Zacha's representative dismissed the chatter as “just rumors.”

Boston Hockey Now's Andrew Fantucchio dismissed the notion of Mittelstadt or Zacha being shopped this summer. He indicated the Bruins intend to contend for a playoff berth this season, which they can't do by further depleting their depth among their top-six forwards.

DeRosa, however, says it would not be surprising if the Bruins shake up their roster during the season if they struggle again.

NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No. 17, Boston BruinsWe’re now reaching the halfway point of The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash series with the Boston Bruins at No. 17.

Meanwhile, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal cited a recent rumor suggesting the Bruins could be cooking up a deal that would see them ship right winger Fabian Lysell to the Oilers. 

Lysell, 22, was the Bruins' first-round pick in the 2021 draft. However, he's struggled to establish himself as a full-time NHL forward. 

Staples rejected speculation suggesting the Bruins' asking price for Lysell might be promising forward Matthew Savoie or speedy winger Vasily Podkolzin. He doesn't see Lysell as a fit with the Oilers unless he's a ferocious checker like Savoie. 

The move would make sense if the Oilers were attempting to shed Podkolzin's $1-million cap hit. They currently have around $225,000 in cap space. However, acquiring Lysell's $835,000 wouldn't be much of a savings. Sending him to the minors after trading away Podkolzin would leave them thinner up front.

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