The Columbus Blue Jackets have 47 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #47.
Let's take a look.
Aaron Johnson - 2003-07/2011-12 - Johnson was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Johnson played 172 games for the Jackets over two stints. Scouts said of Johnson was "A puck-moving defenseman, Johnson is a very good skater. Has good offensive instincts and can quarterback the powerplay. Can play a tough and physical game. Needs to improve his play in his own end."
During his time with Columbus, he also spent three years with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, where he had 73 points in those three seasons.
In 2016, he left North America and signed on with Adler Mannheim of the DEL in Germany. He then left for England, where he played for the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. In 2021, he became a Player-Asst. Coach for a season. He came back home to Columbus in 2021 and joined the Jackets as a Team Consultant. Last season, he was the Team Relations Specialist for the Jackets
Geoff Platt - 2005-07 - Platt was undrafted out of Mississauga, Ontario.
Platt made his NHL Debut in December of 2005 as a 20-year-old undrafted rookie. He played in 41 games for his CBJ career and had 14 points.
He left North America in 2008 and headed for Finland. He then left for the KHL and played five years with the Dynamo Minsk of the KHL. In 2012, he became a citizen of Belarus. He stayed in Europe and played in the KHL, Sweden, and Finland until he retired in 2023.
Platt also began playing international hockey for Belarus once he gained citizenship, playing in the IIHF World Championships and Olympic Game Qualifiers. He's worked for Tappara U20 as a skills and development coach for the last three seasons.
Dalton Prout - 2011-17 - Prout was drafted by Columbus in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Prout made his NHL debut on March 30, 2012, against the Florida Panthers. From there he would go on to play in 224 games for the Jackets. He would also play in four seasons with the Springfield Falcons and Cleveland Monsters of the AHL.
Prout was a big, rugged defenseman known for his physicality and toughness. In the 2015-16 season, he finished the year with 102 penalty minutes.
Prout was known for his fights and wasn't afraid of anyone. Over the years, he fought Tom Wilson, Chris Neil, and Pat Maroon. But his fights with Boston's Milan Lucic were probably his most memorable, including a fight where Prout dropped Lucic with one punch. You can re-live that magic moment below.
Prout was traded to New Jersey by Columbus for Kyle Quincey, March 1, 2017, and that's where the story would end for Prout's Columbus career. He would go on to play for Calgary and San Jose before retiring during the 2019-20 season.
He was hired by GM Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers in 2021 as a Pro Scout and can be seen in the press box of Nationwide Arena fairly routinely.
Marcus Björk - 2022-23 - Marcus Björk is an undrafted defenseman out of Umea, Sweden.
Björk was signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on May 24, 2022. From there, he would be called from Cleveland on November 12, 2022, to make his NHL debut.
In what would turn out to be a very bad season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Björk would have a terrific season in what would turn out to be his only NHL games played.
He played in 33 games for the Jackets that season. He scored 3 goals and totaled 11 points and averaged just over 18 minutes a game on the ice. Not bad for a rookie fresh out of Europe. But, unfortunately for Björk, that would be the end of his NHL season to this point.
Björk also played in 44 games for Cleveland that season and had 15 points. It seemed that Björk was going places. But when the following season rolled around, Björk was sent to Cleveland, where he would play in 51 games in the 2023-24 season and total 25 points.
At the end of the 23-24 season, Björk was not offered a contract and was left as an unrestricted free agent. He headed back to Europe and signed with Kärpät of LIIGA in Finland. He scored 21 points in 32 games.
With 47 days left until opening night at NWA, fans are starting to get a tad restless. There's been very little news the last month or so besides small signings here and there. The RFAs are signed, there are no UFAs, so it's almost time to get down to business.
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