Columbus Blue Jackets No. 62: A rare number with a recent surge since 2023

With 62 days to opening night, Yahoo Sports took a close look at the Columbus Blue Jackets’ jersey number 62, finding it to be one of the club’s most infrequently used identifiers. According to the piece, the Blue Jackets have had only four players wear #62 in their history, and in an unusual twist, three of the four have been associated with the number since 2023.

The same overview frames the number as a “wait-and-see” proposition for the franchise. Over Columbus’ relatively short NHL history, #62 has not yet been tied to a long-tenured star role, at least not in a way that the article characterizes as “real impact.” That makes the current era of the jersey feel like an opening chapter rather than the end of a story.

What makes the “since 2023” detail especially notable is that it compresses the usage of the number into a narrow window. When a franchise sees multiple players taking the same uncommon number over a short span, it often indicates a revolving door of assignments rather than a settled identity. It can also reflect how roster construction and day-to-day lineup needs interact with the traditional meaning fans attach to numbers.

The Blue Jackets, like many NHL teams, operate within an ecosystem of both legacy and practicality. Numbers are part of identity, but in-season usage is also shaped by who is on the roster, who is available, and how personnel decisions are made from camp into the regular season. With only four all-time wearers of #62, Columbus has essentially kept the number out of the spotlight, which can make each new wearer feel more like a test case than a continuation.

In that context, the article’s framing is less about celebrating a past #62 and more about raising the question of whether a player could eventually give the number a larger footprint. Jerseys become “known” not just when they are worn, but when the wearer’s role, durability, and performance turn routine assignment into public memory. If #62 remains sporadic, its history will stay that of a curiosity rather than a tradition.

The immediate practical value of this kind of history lesson is that it encourages attention to something fans normally overlook. Opening-night preparations often focus on line combinations, special teams units, and roster roles. But when a team has an unusual numbering pattern like this, it can add an extra lens for observing who is trusted to carry specific responsibility early in the season.

For Blue Jackets supporters, the next step is straightforward: watch who wears #62 as the calendar approaches opening night and into the early stretch of the schedule. If the franchise continues to rotate the number, the story will likely remain about rarity. If a single player holds it consistently, the narrative could shift quickly from “who has worn it” to “what it has come to mean.”