Blue Jackets mark 35 days to opening night by honoring No. 35, from Jean-François Labbé’s roots to the franchise’s past

The Columbus Blue Jackets are 35 days from Opening Night at Nationwide Arena, and their offseason countdown includes a look at the history of specific jersey numbers. In this installment, No. 35 is the focus, and the team’s franchise record ties the digit to Jean-François Labbé, who wore it during the early 2000s as part of Columbus’ player development era.

Labbé’s path to the NHL did not begin with a draft selection. According to Yahoo Sports’ team-history feature, Labbé was undrafted out of Sherbrooke, Quebec, before earning the opportunity to play in the league. That detail matters because jersey-history pieces often highlight the different routes players took to reach the NHL, including the less straightforward cases where a player’s pro chances are built through performance after draft eligibility has passed.

The number-legacy angle also provides a window into how NHL rosters are shaped over time. For expansion teams and later-stage rebuilds, jersey numbers can collect stories across multiple seasons, reflecting a mix of organizational needs, timing, and player evaluation. Even when a number is not associated with a single long-tenured star, it can still represent a meaningful moment in the franchise’s competitive arc.

In Labbé’s case, the story begins with geography and development. Sherbrooke, Quebec is a major hockey market in its own right, feeding talent into junior programs and professional pipelines. The feature’s emphasis on his undrafted status underscores a common theme in pro hockey, where players can earn NHL opportunities through resilience and a strong record in the leagues that come after junior.

While the feature’s focus for this installment is centered on Labbé, the broader takeaway is about how teams use offseason media to build connection with their past. For fans, jersey history offers a tangible way to track the organization’s identity across eras, from the players who arrived as prospects to those who entered by alternative routes.

With Opening Night still ahead, the Blue Jackets’ countdown also serves a practical purpose: it gives supporters something to watch as the roster picture takes shape. Jersey-number spotlights can help set expectations for how new and returning players fit into the franchise’s lineage, even before the first puck drop of the season.

What to watch next in the team’s series is whether the Blue Jackets expand beyond the Labbé reference for No. 35. If additional players have worn the number in later years, the upcoming installments may broaden the list and further define what No. 35 represents in Columbus today.