As we settle into mid‑June, Blue Jackets fans are stuck in a familiar holding pattern. The 2026 NHL Draft is still two weeks away, the Stanley Cup Final heads into a pivotal Game 5 tonight in Raleigh, and the league continues to wait on Dylan Larkin’s next move.
There’s also the looming investigation into Mike Babcock’s brief Columbus tenure as he pursues the Edmonton job, though that situation has far more to do with Stan Bowman than anything happening in Central Ohio three years following Babock’s quick termination.
So while we wait, it’s a good time to look at a position group that has quietly been one of the weakest in franchise history, both in top‑end talent and overall depth: right‑shot defensemen.
At the top, the conversation is easy. Seth Jones and David Savard stand alone. After them? The drop‑off is steep. Damon Severson is probably already the third‑best RHD the Jackets have ever had, and he’s only three seasons into his Columbus tenure. The next name on the all‑time points list for CBJ right‑shot defensemen is, incredibly, the legend himself: Duvie Westcott.
Woof.
Turning back to the top two guys, Seth Jones, and David Savard, let’s look at their stats per Hockey Reference for comparison.
Seth Jones: 6 seasons in Columbus, 2015-2016 to 2020-2021. 381 GP, 50 G, 173 A, 223 P. +/- 0 rating. 140 PIM. Average TOI of 24:18. 675 shots blocked. 476 hits. 38 Points Share. 4-time All Star, finished 4th in Norris Trophy voting in 2017-2018.
David Savard: 10 seasons in Columbus, 2011-2012 to 2020-2021. 597 GP, 41 G, 125 A, 166 points. +24 rating. 331 PIM. Average TOI of 20:26. 958 shots blocked. 1,117 hits. 36 Points Share. No major awards.
Points Share, or PS, is a statistic that attempts to track how many standings points that player helped to contribute during their time with that franchise. So, Seth Jones added the equivalent of 19 wins during his six seasons in Columbus, and David Savard added the equivalent of 18 wins.
So, who wins? Is Jones or Savard the best RHD in CBJ History?
My answer? It’s Seth Jones, but…
There’s no real debate that Jones had the higher peak and was a true #1 defenseman for the Union Blue for multiple seasons. He could be employed in any situation and played on both the first power play and penalty kill during his tenure.
He was the best defenseman statistically until Zach Werenski stuck around and became, debatedly, the best defenseman in the National Hockey League over the past two seasons.
But…
David Savard, at his peak, was quite possibly the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. He could block shots, throw around his frame, and was perhaps the best defensive zone exit artist in the league. He was never an offensive contributor, which sets him back from being better than Seth Jones, but contributed so highly in the defensive zone for so long that it cannot be ignored
Jones is better because he had a higher peak and contributed more in a shorter amount of time, but Savard is closer than you think because of his elite defensive play.
Regardless, both are franchise legends where we stand today and will be for many years to come.
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