45 Days Until Opening Night: Columbus Blue Jackets revisit the legacy of jersey #45

Ahead of the Blue Jackets’ opening-night preparations at Nationwide Arena, the franchise spotlights the history behind number 45, tied to forward Jody Shelley during his 2001-2008 stretch with the team.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Columbus is in its 45-days-to-opening-night window at Nationwide Arena, and as part of a broader look back at franchise traditions, the Blue Jackets are highlighting the history of jersey number 45. In this installment, the number’s most direct association is with Jody Shelley, who wore #45 during his time in Columbus.

Shelley’s Blue Jackets run spanned from 2001 through 2008, a period when the team was building its identity in the NHL. The franchise’s recap also ties the player’s entry path to his background before joining the league, noting that he was undrafted out of Thompson, Manitoba, Canada.

The fact that the Blue Jackets’ number-spotlight story begins with “undrafted” is part of the larger appeal of jersey history. It is a reminder that, while every team’s roster decisions are different, numbers often become linked not only to star power but also to players who find a way to earn their place through development and opportunity.

From there, the emphasis shifts to how jersey selections function inside an NHL club. A team’s “legacy numbers” approach gives fans a framework for understanding the continuity between eras, even as players and styles change. That continuity matters in an NHL calendar full of transactions and offseason reshaping because it gives supporters a stable reference point.

Shelley’s identification as the player associated with #45, along with the listed years of 2001-2008, sets a clear historical anchor for this particular number. It also provides a concrete starting point for what fans often look for in offseason retrospectives: which individuals were tied to a uniform number, and what kind of game-day identity that number carried at the time.

With opening night approaching, this kind of content also helps frame what to watch when the season begins. For Columbus, number history is not about scoreboard stakes on its own, but it becomes part of how the club connects its present roster work to the memory of past contributors who wore the same materials on the same ice.

If more Blue Jackets jersey #45 history is connected to other players or any special recognition beyond the 2001-2008 Shelley era, it would require confirmation. For now, the only firmly stated linkage in the available account is Shelley’s association with the number and the span of his Columbus tenure.

Why It Matters

Jersey-number retrospectives help fans maintain continuity across NHL seasons as rosters change.
Linking a specific number to a specific player and era gives supporters a clearer sense of franchise identity.
For Columbus, the #45 spotlight supports offseason storytelling that connects present preparation to past team chapters.
Players highlighted in these series often become reference points for how different roster paths (including undrafted routes) can still lead to NHL careers.

Sources

Key Facts

The Columbus Blue Jackets are approaching opening night at Nationwide Arena in a “45 days until opening night” series.
The series installment focuses on the history of jersey number 45.
Jody Shelley is identified with jersey #45.
Shelley’s Columbus tenure is listed as 2001-2008.
The account notes Shelley was undrafted out of Thompson, Manitoba, Canada.