Blue Jackets Countdown Spotlight: The Story Behind Jersey Number 40 and Bill Bowler

The Columbus Blue Jackets are in a familiar preseason rhythm, counting down to opening night at Nationwide Arena. In that weekly tradition of revisiting franchise symbols, Columbus has set its focus on jersey number 40, a number that, according to Yahoo Sports, is not currently worn by any active Blue Jackets player as the season opener approaches.

Jersey numbers often become shorthand for eras, and in Columbus’s case, #40 traces back to Bill Bowler, the most notable figure historically associated with the uniform in this countdown feature. Bowler, listed with a 2000-01 timeframe in the article, was undrafted out of Toronto, a detail that frames his entry into the NHL as a product of development rather than a draft pedigree.

That undrafted origin matters because it reflects a specific pathway into the league. Players who enter without being selected in the NHL Draft often have to earn their roles in smaller stages first, through tryouts, minor-league performances, and organizational depth needs. In Bowler’s case, the Columbus jersey provides a reminder that the franchise’s number history includes stop-and-start trajectories and players who may have spent time building opportunities before carving out their NHL moments.

For fans, the Blue Jackets’ selection of #40 also highlights how a single number can sit quietly for stretches of time, even if it is still part of team memory. When no current player wears #40, the number functions less like an ongoing identity and more like a historical artifact, prompting a look back rather than tracking present-day production.

The timing of the countdown feature adds another layer. The phrase “40 days until opening night” is not just a headline hook. It places the league-wide September and early-October reset in perspective for Columbus: the organization is shifting from training camp context to regular-season stakes, while still keeping its brand visible through light, retrospective content.

Bowler’s connection to jersey #40 is also a reminder that roster construction is cyclical. The number you see on an NHL sweater can change quickly due to player movement, assignment preferences, and organizational planning. Even if #40 is dormant today, it can return later if a player chooses it or the team assigns it as part of the normal turnover of an active roster.

What to watch next is whether #40 reappears during the preseason or later during roster finalization. If the Blue Jackets decide to assign it to a veteran, an AHL call-up, or a camp winner, then the jersey would transition from a purely historical reference back into active rotation, effectively writing the next chapter of its franchise story.