Columbus Blue Jackets Greatest Players: #11 – Geoff Sanderson
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be entering their 17th season as a NHL franchise this year, so we thought it’s about time we celebrate the 17 greatest Blue Jackets. This list won’t be filled with the best players per say, but rather the most impactful, durable, and lovable Jackets in our minds.
If you missed yesterday’s post, go back and check it out!
So without further ado, here is the 11th greatest Columbus Blue Jackets player in history…
#11 – Geoff Sanderson (LW)
Once upon a time, the Columbus Blue Jackets were an expansion team. Expectedly, they were pretty bad. But they had a guy named Geoff Sanderson scoring points quite frequently nonetheless.
Prior to joining the CBJ, Sanderson spent a few rather uneventful seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, where he put up 65 points in 168 games. This poor performance led the Sabres to not protect Sanderson in the 2000 NHL expansion draft, allowing the Blue Jackets to draft the winger with the 23rd pick.
Despite major doubts from most that he would be able to return to a similar form to his Hartford days, Sanderson ended up rebounding in a big way. In fact, he was probably the first best player for the CBJ as he really stood out in the first few seasons of the franchise.
For example, he led the team in goals and points while finishing second in assists during the 2000-2001 season. Sanderson also finished with a 30-30 season two years later while playing in his first 82-game season since 1996-1997.
After ’03, Sanderson wasn’t the same player he had once been. He was traded by Columbus at the ’04 trade deadline and would eventually retire in 2008 after the Edmonton Oilers decided to not tender him a contract.
Despite his limited time with the Blue Jackets (261 games), Geoff Sanderson is sixth on the CBJ’s all-time list for goals and fourth in power play goals for the franchise. Additionally, he was one of the very first alternate captains in the history of the franchise.
Now, it’s time for the highlights!