Columbus Blue Jackets facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Columbus Blue Jackets
Conference	Eastern
Division	Metropolitan
Founded	2000
History	Columbus Blue Jackets 2000–present
Home arena	Nationwide Arena
City	Columbus, Ohio
Colors	Union blue, goal red, capital silver, white
Media	FanDuel Sports Network Ohio Columbus Alternative (105.7 FM) The Fan (97.1 FM) ESPN Columbus (1460 AM)
Owner(s)	John P. McConnell
General manager	Don Waddell
Head coach	Dean Evason
Captain	Boone Jenner
Minor league affiliates	Cleveland Monsters (AHL)
Stanley Cups	0
Conference championships	0
Presidents' Trophies	0
Division championships	0

The Columbus Blue Jackets, often called the Jackets, are a professional ice hockey team from Columbus, Ohio. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team started playing in the year 2000 as a new expansion team.

In their first few years, the Blue Jackets found it tough to win games. They didn't win 30 games in a season until 2005. The team made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 2009. However, they lost all their games in the first round to the Detroit Red Wings. Columbus didn't win a playoff game until the 2014 playoffs. Their first and only playoff series win came in 2019 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They were the first team in NHL history to sweep a team that had won the Presidents' Trophy (given to the team with the best regular season record) in the first round. The Blue Jackets are one of only three teams in the league that have not yet reached the conference finals. The other two are the Seattle Kraken and Utah Mammoth.

The Blue Jackets' name and logos are inspired by Ohio's history during the American Civil War. The team plays its home games at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. This arena opened in 2000. They are also connected with the Cleveland Monsters team in the AHL.

Team History

Starting a New Team (1997–2000)

Before the Blue Jackets, the last NHL team in Ohio was the Cleveland Barons, which played from 1976 to 1978. In Columbus, the Blue Jackets took the place of the Columbus Chill. The Chill was a minor league team that played from 1991 to 1999.

In 1996, a group of five investors formed Columbus Hockey Limited. They applied to the NHL to start a new team. A big step was getting a new arena built. John H. McConnell, one of the investors, promised the NHL that an arena would be built. On June 25, 1997, the NHL announced that Columbus would get a new team. A "Name the Team" contest was held, and "Blue Jackets" was chosen. This name honored Ohio's role in the American Civil War.

On June 23, 2000, the Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild picked players in the 2000 NHL expansion draft. This draft allowed new teams to choose players from other NHL teams. The Blue Jackets picked goaltender Rick Tabaracci first. They also chose players like Dwayne Roloson, Lyle Odelein, and Geoff Sanderson. At the 2000 NHL entry draft, Columbus picked Rostislav Klesla fourth overall.

First Seasons (2000–2005)

The Blue Jackets played their first regular season game on October 7, 2000. They lost 5–3 to the Chicago Blackhawks. Bruce Gardiner scored the team's first goal. Columbus finished their first season with 71 points. Geoff Sanderson was the first player to score 30 goals for the team. Goaltender Ron Tugnutt had 22 wins, which tied an NHL record for a new team's goalie.

In the 2001–02 season, the team finished near the bottom of the NHL. Ray Whitney led the team in scoring. A sad event happened in March 2002. A 13-year-old fan, Brittanie Cecil, was hit by a deflected puck and passed away. Because of this, large safety nets were put up behind the goals in all NHL arenas.

Before the 2002–03 season, Columbus traded for the first-overall pick in the 2002 NHL entry draft. They used it to pick Rick Nash. The team started well but then struggled. Coach Dave King was replaced by general manager Doug MacLean. Goaltender Marc Denis played a team-record 77 games that season.

The 2003–04 season was another losing one. Todd Marchant and Darryl Sydor joined the team. MacLean stepped down as coach, and Gerard Gallant took over. Rick Nash was a bright spot, tying for the league lead in goals with 41. The 2004–05 NHL season was canceled due to a lockout between the players and the league.

The Rick Nash Years (2005–2012)

In 2005, defenseman Adam Foote joined the team. The Blue Jackets hoped to make the playoffs in the 2005–06 season. However, injuries to key players like Rick Nash hurt their chances. They still improved their record, finishing with 35 wins and 74 points.

The 2006–07 season brought more changes. Goaltender Marc Denis was traded, and Pascal Leclaire became the starting goalie. Coach Gerard Gallant was replaced by Ken Hitchcock. In 2007, Doug MacLean was fired as general manager. Scott Howson took over.

The 2007–08 season started well. At the trade deadline, captain Adam Foote asked to be traded to the Colorado Avalanche, and the team agreed. A few weeks later, Rick Nash was named the new team captain. Columbus had their best season record yet, finishing with 80 points.

In the 2008 off-season, the Blue Jackets made many trades. They acquired players like R. J. Umberger, Raffi Torres, and Fedor Tyutin. They also signed Kristian Huselius and Mike Commodore. Coach Hitchcock signed a three-year extension.

During the 2008–09 season, the Blue Jackets made key trades for Jason Williams and Antoine Vermette. Rick Nash set a franchise record with 79 points. On April 8, 2009, the Blue Jackets made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. They lost all four games to the Detroit Red Wings.

The team missed the playoffs for the next four seasons. In 2011, they traded Jakub Voracek and draft picks for All-Star center Jeff Carter. They also signed James Wisniewski and Vaclav Prospal. However, after a bad start to the 2011–12 season, coach Scott Arniel was fired. Carter was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Captain Rick Nash was also traded to the New York Rangers in 2012. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky joined the team in 2012.

The 2012–13 season was shortened by another lockout. John Davidson became president of hockey operations. Scott Howson was replaced by Jarmo Kekalainen as general manager. Kekalainen was the first European-born general manager in the NHL. The Blue Jackets just missed the playoffs that season.

The Kekalainen Era (2013–2024)

Moving to the Eastern Conference

For the 2013–14 season, the Blue Jackets moved to the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. They had spent their first 13 seasons in the Western Conference. On April 9, 2014, the Blue Jackets made the playoffs for the second time. They won a game against the Dallas Stars. This game was special because it was finished after being stopped earlier due to a player's health issue. Nathan Horton was credited with a goal in that game even though he wasn't playing when it finished.

In the first round of the 2014 playoffs, the Blue Jackets played the Pittsburgh Penguins. Columbus made history when Jack Johnson scored the first goal of Game 1. This was the first time the team had ever led a playoff game. They lost Game 1 but won Game 2 in overtime with a goal from Matt Calvert. This was the team's first playoff victory ever. Columbus also won Game 4 in overtime after coming back from a 3–0 deficit. However, Pittsburgh won the series in six games.

The 2014–15 season was marked by many injuries for the Blue Jackets. At one point, 15 players were injured. When players returned, the team went on a franchise-record nine-game winning streak. Still, they missed the playoffs. On May 20, 2015, Nick Foligno was named the team's sixth captain. The team traded for Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks in June 2015.

The John Tortorella Years (2015–2021)

The Blue Jackets started the 2015–16 season with high hopes. But they lost their first eight games, which was one of the longest losing streaks to start a season in NHL history. This led to coach Todd Richards being fired. John Tortorella was hired as the new head coach. In January 2016, the team traded Ryan Johansen for defenseman Seth Jones. The team finished 27th overall in the NHL that season.

The Blue Jackets set three franchise records in the 2016–17 season. On November 4, 2016, they scored a team-record ten goals in a 10–0 win against the Montreal Canadiens. They also had a franchise-record 16-game winning streak. This streak was the second longest in NHL history. Coach Tortorella earned his 500th career win during this streak. The team finished with a franchise-record 50 wins and 108 points.

In the 2017 playoffs, the Blue Jackets faced the Pittsburgh Penguins again. They lost the series in five games. In the summer of 2017, the Jackets traded Brandon Saad back to Chicago for Artemi Panarin and Tyler Motte.

The Blue Jackets made the playoffs again in 2018. They faced the Washington Capitals. Columbus won the first two games in overtime, taking their first-ever series lead. However, they lost the next four games and the series.

In 2019, the Blue Jackets made big trades to try and win the Stanley Cup. They acquired Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel. They made the playoffs as a wild card team. In a huge upset, they swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. This was their first-ever playoff series win. They then lost their second-round series to the Boston Bruins. After the season, key players like Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, and Artemi Panarin left the team.

The 2019–20 season was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regular season was canceled. The season restarted in August with a special playoff format. The Blue Jackets beat the Toronto Maple Leafs to advance. They then faced the Tampa Bay Lightning again and lost the series in five games.

During the 2020 off-season, star forward Pierre-Luc Dubois asked for a trade. He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in January 2021 for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. Veteran players David Savard and captain Nick Foligno were also traded. The team finished last in their division and missed the playoffs. After six seasons, coach Tortorella and the Blue Jackets decided to part ways.

Rebuilding and Recent Years (2021–2024)

With many changes, the Blue Jackets began a new rebuilding phase. Assistant coach Brad Larsen was promoted to head coach in June 2021. Seth Jones was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, and Cam Atkinson was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 2021–22 season saw the Blue Jackets return to the Metropolitan Division. In their first game, the team honored backup goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, who had passed away in an accident. His number was displayed in Nationwide Arena for the season.

On October 12, 2021, Boone Jenner was named the team's seventh captain. The team started the season well but struggled with defense as the season went on. They missed the playoffs.

In 2022, the Blue Jackets surprised many by signing superstar Johnny Gaudreau from the Calgary Flames. This was a big deal because the team had a reputation for not being able to sign or keep star players. Gaudreau chose Columbus because he saw potential in the young team. To make room for Gaudreau and re-sign Patrik Laine, the Blue Jackets traded Oliver Bjorkstrand.

The 2022–23 season was tough for the Blue Jackets. They had many injuries, especially to top defenseman Zach Werenski. They finished near the bottom of the league. They traded several players, including goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. They missed the playoffs again. Coach Brad Larsen was relieved of his duties in April 2023.

For the 2023–24 season, the Blue Jackets made more changes. They traded for defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. They hired Mike Babcock as their new head coach, but he resigned before the season started due to concerns about his behavior. Pascal Vincent was named the new coach. In the 2023 NHL entry draft, they picked Adam Fantilli third overall. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen was fired in February 2024. Don Waddell was hired as president of hockey operations and general manager in May 2024. The team struggled again and finished last in their division.

On June 17, 2024, the Blue Jackets fired Vincent. Former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason was named his replacement on July 22. On August 29, 2024, Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew passed away in an accident. Fans created a memorial at Nationwide Arena to honor them.

Team Information

Team Name Meaning

The name "Blue Jackets" was chosen to celebrate "patriotism, pride, and the rich Civil War history in the state of Ohio and city of Columbus." Ohio played a big role in the Civil War. Many soldiers from Ohio wore blue uniforms, which were called "blue jackets." Famous Civil War figures like William Tecumseh Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant were from Ohio. Columbus also had large military bases during the war.

Logos and Jerseys

The primary logo for the franchise from 2000 to 2007

The team's main logo looks like the flag of Ohio. It's shaped like a "C" around a star. This shows both patriotism and that Columbus is the state capital. This logo became the main one in the 2007–08 season. The first logo had a red ribbon with 13 stars, shaped like the letters "CBJ."

Since they started, the Blue Jackets have worn navy blue and white jerseys with red pants. For the 2020–21 season, they wore special "Reverse Retro" jerseys. These looked like their original white jerseys but were red. Starting in the 2022–23 season, their white road jerseys were paired with blue pants. They also had a second "Reverse Retro" uniform that was black with light blue stripes.

For their 2025 Stadium Series game, they wore dark blue uniforms. The main logo was a "cannon" design. The shoulders had a new "CBJ" patch with crossed hockey sticks.

"The Cannon"

A replica 1857 Napoleon is "fired" at Nationwide Arena as the Blue Jackets take the ice, when they score, and when they have won the game.

Before the 2007–08 season, the Blue Jackets brought a replica 1857 Napoleon cannon into Nationwide Arena. This cannon is "fired" at home games when:

• the Blue Jackets skate onto the ice at the start of the game
• the Blue Jackets score a goal
• the Blue Jackets win the game

When the Blue Jackets score, a part of the song "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" by AC/DC plays when the cannon fires. Then, the chorus of "The Whip" by Locksley plays.

Broadcast Information

On FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, Steve Mears is the TV play-by-play announcer. Former Blue Jacket Jody Shelley gives color commentary. Brian Giesenschlag hosts the pre-game, intermission, and post-game shows.

On radio, Bob McElligott provides play-by-play coverage. He joined the team's radio broadcast in 2009. McElligott and Dylan Tyrer host the pre-game and post-game radio shows.

Team Mascot

Stinger is the official mascot of the Blue Jackets. Stinger is a 6-foot 9-inch Yellow Jacket. He walks among the fans during games and skates on the ice between periods. Stinger wears a Blue Jackets jersey and a blue hat. His eyebrows look like black hockey sticks. Stinger was originally yellow, then changed to green, and now mixes with the team's blue. An image of Stinger was on the original Blue Jackets jerseys but was removed in 2003.

Season Records

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Blue Jackets. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Team Staff

Team Captains

First-Round Draft Picks

Retired Numbers

The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its teams in 2000.

Honored Members

• John H. McConnell

Hall of Famers

• Sergei Fedorov, Center, 2005–2008
• Ken Hitchcock, Coach, 2006–2010

Awards and Trophies

Team Records

David Savard set the franchise record for highest plus/minus of +33 during the 2016–17 season.

Top Scorers in Team History

These are the top-ten players with the most points in Blue Jackets history as of the 2024–25 season.

•  *  – current Blue Jackets player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Single-Season Records

These are some of the best single-season records for the Blue Jackets:

Images for kids

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  Doug MacLean was the general manager for the Blue Jackets from 1998 to 2007, and head coach from 2002 to 2004.

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  Fredrik Norrena in net for the Blue Jackets during the 2006–07 season. The Blue Jackets acquired Norrena during the 2006 off-season, in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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  Named team captain on March 12, 2008, Rick Nash served in that role until he was traded to the New York Rangers on July 23, 2012.

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  Nathan Horton during the 2013–14 season. As a result of a postponed game, Horton became the only player in NHL history to have registered a goal, without suiting up for that game.

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  Sergei Bobrovsky was awarded his second Vezina Trophy for his performance in the 2016–17 season.

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  Johnny Gaudreau with the Calgary Flames in 2016

See also

In Spanish: Columbus Blue Jackets para niños