From a legacy perspective, the Blue Jackets need guys to start breaking franchise records. On Sunday night, a big one fell as Zach Werenski set a new franchise-best by recording his 259th assist. This is important for a fanbase once scorned.
It's been over a decade since Rick Nash left the Columbus Blue Jackets during the fallout of his trade request in the spring of 2012 and subsequent move to the New York Rangers. As many old-time Blue Jackets fans may remember, the feelings about the departure were mixed among the fanbase at the time.
Many I knew it saw the trade demand as a betrayal. Nash was, and had been, the only face of the franchise and was a gigantic reason why many of us began our Union Blue fandoms in earnest back in the day.
As a young fan at the time, my reaction was purely an emotional one. Looking back upon it now, I understand why Nash wished to move along with his career. He was still in prime, and wanted to pursue his championship dreams. He did not want to sit around to see the CBJ go through what was ultimately a half rebuild - one that ultimately failed under new GM Jarmo Kekalainen.
Feelings were hurt, but time heals old wounds.
Nash, of course, went on to receive a hero's return welcome when the franchise made his number 61 sweater the first, and currently only, jersey to be retired in the history of the Blue Jackets. He also now works for the hockey club in a front office role as the Director of Hockey Operations underneath Don Waddell.
Regardless of Nash's well-deserved jersey retirement and employment status, his 2012 departure marked a low point for a franchise that had known nothing but struggles in its first decade and now quarter century of existence.
It was yet another example of the ineptitude of the CBJ front office driving stars away from playing in Columbus and the beginning of another long winter in Arch City hockey while the team built itself back up. Nash's withdrawal from the club still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth to this day, and I know it does for many old-time fans as well.
Zach Werenski's relationship with both Columbus and the Blue Jackets could not be progressing more differently up to this point in his career.
Zach Werenski shocked the hockey world back in 2021 when he signed his massive six-year, $57.5 million contract extension with Columbus. The extension will keep him in the Union Blue sweater through the end of the 2027-2028 season.
He has spent his entire nine-season career in Columbus and has never wavered from his desire to bring a Stanley Cup to Arch City. If the success of this season under new team leadership and governance is any indication of future returns for the club; the franchise is now looking at a better chance of entering a title contention window than at any other point in Jackets history, and "Z" is a massive part of the formula to that success.
Werenski and players in the CBJ leadership group like Boone Jenner (who now holds the club record for games played, also taken from Nash), Mathieu Olivier and others; have committed their careers long-term to the NHL's most lowly hockey club that has known little-to-no success in its 25 years of struggled existence.
Seeing Nash's records begin to fall out of the top spots in the Blue Jackets history books is another essential step in turning the pages on the ghosts of past failures under different management organizations and formulating a standard of excellence that has not been seen by the 5th Line after a quarter century of waiting.
While we are still a long way off of seeing Nash's points and goals records from being dethroned (Boone Jenner is 97 goals off; and both he and Werenski still have just under 200 points each to catch up), this is the second major milestone and first one of statistical excellence to fall. And, it's only a matter of time before the others do as well.
Moments like these give me hope that the club can finally build something the CBJ faithful will be proud of, and I know that Z will be a big part of that.