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 players in Blue Jackets history. 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!
Related Story: #3 – David Vyborny
#2 – Sergei Bobrovsky
The second greatest player in Columbus Blue Jackets history is the number one cop on the force, Sergei Bobrovsky.
It was an obvious choice to put the two-time Vezina Trophy winner so high on our list. Since arriving in Columbus, Bobrovsky has compiled 139 wins which is best in franchise history.
His tenure as a Blue Jacket so far is known as being great in the regular season but poor in the postseason. Luckily for Bob, he’ll likely get a few chances to redeem himself over the next few seasons.
Since his trade from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012, he has proved to be the best goaltender that the Blue Jackets have ever had. Not including goalies who’ve played less than 15 games, Bobrovsky leads the Blue Jackets netminders in every major statistical category.
Time after time in Columbus, Bobrovsky has made the key saves that his team needed. The respect around the league for him has grown significantly of late as well, despite some struggles in recent years.
NHL Network recently released their “Top 10 Goalies Right Now” list and Bobrovsky was ranked #3.
Who would make your top 10 list? #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/VHxdk7lx8K
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 8, 2017
Carey Price and Braden Holtby were the top two on the list, which they probably deserved. However, one good postseason run in the near future could make Bob the consensus #1 goalie in the league.
Sergei Bobrovsky will be 29 years old when the season starts so he has plenty of time to improve his NHL legacy. For now, he will at least go down as one of the best players in Columbus Blue Jackets history.