2007 Columbus Blue Jackets

Despite a great start, Columbus ended the season still lacking their first NHL playoff appearance. With only 80 points to their credit, the Blue Jackets finished fourth in the Central Division. Rick Nash led the way for the Blue Jackets with 38 goals and 69 points. Until a late-season injury, goalie Pascal LeClaire was a force between the pipes, keeping the team’s distant playoff hopes alive. Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock can look forward to a major overhaul of the Blue Jackets’ roster this off-season. With many new faces expected at Nationwide Arena next season, we will have to wait and see if the new talent will push the Blue Jackets over the hump and into the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Time to go see the Columbus Blue Jackets back on the ice, so you’ll want tickets to Nationwide Arena to cheer them on! The Columbus Blue Jackets had an inconsistent 2006-07, which found them ahead of only the Chicago Blackhawks, at the bottom of the Western Conference. This year, the Blue Jackets stand to fare much better, as coach Ken Hitchcock has now had a year to adjust, and GM Doug MacLean (who many blamed for the Blue Jackets’ poor performance) has been replaced with former Edmonton Oilers assistant GM Scott Howson. The Blue Jackets have high hopes, but they’ll need your support! Get ready for a 2007-2008 season to remember!

The name of the Columbus Blue Jackets seems to reflect the significant participation of Ohio residents in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The club mascot is Stinger, a bee that wears a blue uniform resembling that of a Union soldier. The team colors are red, white, and blue. The Bluejackets play in Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

On June 25, 1997, the NHL officially announced that Columbus; Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Saint Paul, Minnesota, had been awarded NHL franchises. Businessman John H. McConnell is the Blue Jackets' majority owner, and Doug MacLean is the general manager. Columbus's first season in the NHL was the 2000-01 campaign. Before the season the team filled its roster by selecting players in a series of drafts.

Note: The Blue Jackets team name is commonly misspelled as one word, the Bluejackets.