2009 Columbus Blue Jackets

Though the Columbus Blue Jackets ended the 2008-09 season in 4th place in the Central Division, they still managed to secure a playoff berth, the first in the team’s history. Now the team needs to avoid the dreaded playoff hangover, and to do so they’ll be expecting more from the younger players, like Jakub Voracek, Kris Russell, Derek Dorsett and Derick Brassard, who will need to keep improving if the Blue Jackets want to move forward. Goaltender Steve Mason is coming off of a banner year, but head coach Ken Hitchcock felt the team relied on him too much, so to relieve some of the pressure they brought in veteran Mathieu Garon. Nationwide Arena regularly sells out, so if you want to see what the Blue Jackets can do in the 2009-10 season, get your tickets now!

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 Blue Jackets 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.