Columbus Blue Jackets
From Freepedia
| Columbus Blue Jackets | |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | |
| Founded | 2000-2001 |
| Home ice | Nationwide Arena |
| Based in | Columbus |
| Colors | Blue, red |
| League | National Hockey League |
| Head coach | Gerard Gallant |
| General manager | Doug McLean |
| Owner | John H. McConnell |
| AHL Affiliate | Syracuse Crunch |
| ECHL affiliate | Dayton Bombers |
| UHL affiliate | Elmira Jackals |
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a National Hockey League team based in Columbus, Ohio.
- Founded: 2000 (awarded June 25, 1997)
- Arena: Nationwide Arena
- Uniform colors: Blue and red
- Logo design: A starry ribbon forming the letters "CB" surrounding a hockey stick (which also forms the letter "J") surmounted by a star.
- Mascot: Stinger
- Stanley Cups won: none
Contents |
Franchise history
One of the NHL's newest teams, the Blue Jackets took to the ice for the first time on October 7, 2000, with a 5-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Bruce Gardiner scored the first goal in franchise history.
The team's nickname was selected from suggestions by fans. There are at least four possible factors that may have contributed to the selection of the name.
- At the time the name was first announced, some media reports speculated that because team owner John H. McConnell's favorite color is blue, he had directed that any name selected for the team must contain the word blue.
- The logo for the team that was initially unveiled featured "an insect with an attitude," suggesting that the name is a play on the term yellowjacket (a type of wasp and the nickname of various other teams, including the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets). The insect logo was reduced to secondary status before the team began play and was eliminated entirely during the 2003-04 season. The only remnant of the insect theme remains with the team mascot, a big green bug affectionately known as "Stinger."
- The name may have been intended to honor the Shawnee leader Blue Jacket, who lived in the region, but the team has not used any Native American symbolism in its marketing.
- The term Blue Jacket is also a reference to the uniform of the Union army in the American Civil War. The team has included some Civil War references in its marketing, but has not heavily promoted it.
Tragedy struck the Blue Jackets organization when, in March 2002, 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil was killed after an errant shot by Espen Knutsen struck her in the head while watching a Columbus-Calgary game in the stands. As a result of this death, nylon mesh nets have now been installed in all NHL arenas above the area behind the goals to shield spectators from flying pucks.
The team has never made the playoffs in its short history, but players like Geoff Sanderson, who scored 34 goals in 2002-03, and first-overall draft pick Rick Nash could change that in the near future. Nash scored 41 goals in 2003-04 to earn a share of the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Logo | Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2000-01 | 82 | 28 | 39 | 9 | 6 | 71 | 190 | 233 | 1234 | 5th (last) in Central | Out of playoffs |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2001-02 | 82 | 22 | 47 | 8 | 5 | 57 | 164 | 255 | 1198 | 5th (last) in Central | Out of playoffs |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2002-03 | 82 | 29 | 42 | 8 | 3 | 69 | 213 | 263 | 1505 | 5th (last) in Central | Out of playoffs |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2003-04 | 82 | 25 | 45 | 8 | 4 | 62 | 177 | 238 | 1209 | 4th in Central | Out of playoffs |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2004-051 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Image:Columbus Bluejackets.gif | 2005-06 | -- |
- 1 Season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
Notable players
Current Squad
As of October 27 2005
| Goaltenders | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Catches | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 30 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Marc Denis | L | 2000 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 35 | Image:Flag of Czech Republic.svg | Martin Prusek | L | 2005 | Ostrava, Czechoslovakia |
| Defensemen | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Shoots | Acquired | Place of Birth | ||
| 4 | Image:Flag of the United States.svg | Bryan Berard | L | 2005 | Woonsocket, Rhode Island | |
| 15 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Duvie Westcott | R | 2001 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
| 21 | Image:Slovakia flag large.png | Radoslav Suchy | L | 2004 | Kezmarok, Czechoslovakia | |
| 22 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Luke Richardson - C | L | 2002 | Ottawa, Ontario | |
| 24 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | François Beauchemin | L | 2004 | Sorel, Quebec | |
| 32 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Cale Hulse | R | 2005 | Edmonton, Alberta | |
| 52 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Adam Foote - A | R | 2005 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 97 | Image:Flag of Czech Republic.svg | Rostislav Klesla (Injured Reserve) | L | 2000 | Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia | |
Hall of Famers
none
Team captains
- Lyle Odelein 2000-02
- Ray Whitney 2002-03
- Luke Richardson 2003- present
Current stars
Not to be forgotten
Retired Numbers
- 99 Wayne Gretzky (retired league-wide by the NHL)
See also
- List of NHL seasons
- List of Columbus Blue Jackets players
- Head Coaches of the Columbus Blue Jackets
- List of NHL players
External links
| National Hockey League 1917 to present | Image:05 NHL Shield small.gif |
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| Trophies and awards: Stanley Cup | Prince of Wales | Clarence S. Campbell | Presidents' Trophy | Adams | Art Ross | Calder | Conn Smythe | Crozier | Hart | Jennings | King Clancy | Lady Byng | Masterton | Norris | Patrick | Pearson | Plus/Minus | Rocket Richard | Selke | Vezina | |
| Related articles: AHL | ECHL | UHL | WHA | International Hockey |
