Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus , Ohio , United States . They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Preceded in Ohio ' s capital by the Columbus Chill of the ECHL , the Blue Jackets were founded as an expansion team in 2000 . In their seven seasons , they have never finished higher than third place in their division and are the only active NHL team to have never qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs . The Blue Jackets ' name and logos are rooted in Ohio ' s rich Civil War history . Rick Nash , David Vyborny , Ray Whitney , and Nikolai Zherdev are some of the prominent NHL figures to have donned a Columbus sweater . Ken Hitchcock has been their coach since late 2006 , and current general manager Scott Howson started in 2007 . The Blue Jackets play their home games in downtown Columbus at Nationwide Arena , which opened in 2000 . Franchise history . Building a new franchise ( 1997 – 2000 ) . After the Cleveland Barons left in 1978 , Ohio ' s hockey fans had to wait 22 years to host another NHL team . Columbus entered an expansion bid in 1997 , along with several other cities . The voters of Columbus were considering a referendum to build a publicly financed arena , a major step toward approval of their NHL bid . When NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman visited Columbus to meet with the community ' s leaders about the franchise proposal , there was concern that the voters might not pass the needed referendum . The civic leaders told Bettman that they would not be willing to foot the bill for the team if the referendum failed . However , just after the meeting adjourned , John H . McConnell ( one of those who entered the bid ) privately guaranteed Bettman that an arena would be built , referendum or not . Columbus ' s hopes for the bid dimmed when the May referendum failed . However , Nationwide announced on May 31 , 1997 , that it would finance the $ 150 - million arena . Subsequently , on June 25 , 1997 , the NHL announced that Columbus would receive a new franchise . On June 23 , 2000 , the NHL ' s two newest teams , the Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild , took part in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft in Calgary , Alberta . Under the draft ' s rules , 26 of the NHL ' s active 28 teams were allowed to protect one goaltender , five defensemen , and nine forwards , or two goaltenders , three defensemen , and seven forwards . The Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators both had their full rosters protected because they were the two newest teams , only being in existence for one and two years , respectively . Both the Blue Jackets and Wild had to use their first 24 selections on three goaltenders , eight defensemen , and thirteen forwards . Their final two picks could be players of any position . With the first - overall choice , the Blue Jackets selected goaltender Rick Tabaracci from the Colorado Avalanche . Over the course of the draft , Columbus picked up goalie Dwayne Roloson , defensemen Lyle Odelein and Mathieu Schneider , and forwards Geoff Sanderson , Turner Stevenson , and Dallas Drake , among others . Instead of joining Columbus , Roloson signed with the American Hockey League ' s Worcester IceCats , Schneider left for the Los Angeles Kings , and the St . Louis Blues signed Drake . Columbus also traded Stevenson to the New Jersey Devils to complete an earlier transaction . The Blue Jackets and Wild were granted concessions by some franchises who could not protect their full rosters . The San Jose Sharks traded Jan Caloun , a ninth - round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft , and a 2001 conditional pick to Columbus ; in return , the Blue Jackets agreed not to select the Sharks ' unprotected goaltender Evgeni Nabokov . The following day , June 24 , at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft , Columbus selected Rostislav Klesla fourth overall . 2000 – 2005 . The Blue Jackets played their first regular - season game on October 7 , 2000 , a 5 – 3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks . Bruce Gardiner scored the franchise ' s first goal . Columbus finished with a 28 – 39 – 9 – 6 record for 71 points , last in the Central Division , and failed to qualify for the playoffs . Geoff Sanderson became the first player in team history to score 30 goals . Ron Tugnutt , who was signed in the summer of 2000 , supplied solid goaltending with 22 wins , which set the NHL record for wins by an expansion - team goalie . The Blue Jackets finished next - to - last in the NHL in the following season , with only 57 points . Ray Whitney , acquired from the Florida Panthers the previous season , led the team in scoring with 61 points , setting a franchise record . Tragedy struck the Blue Jackets organization in March 2002 when 13 - year - old Brittanie Cecil was killed after an errant shot by Espen Knutsen struck her in the head while she was in the stands at Nationwide Arena . As a result of her death , large nylon mesh nets are installed behind the goals in all NHL arenas to shield spectators from pucks going over the glass . The team also wore small red hearts with the initials " BNC " on their helmets . During the offseason , the Blue Jackets traded a second - round pick ( 32nd overall ) and Tugnutt to the Dallas Stars . In return , Columbus received Dallas ' s first - round pick ( 20th overall ) in the 2002 draft . On the morning of the draft , Columbus traded the third - overall pick and the option to flip draft spots in 2003 to the Florida Panthers ; in return Columbus received the first - overall pick , which they used to select Rick Nash . The 2002 – 03 season started with Columbus putting up a 7 – 5 – 1 – 1 record after the first 14 games . However , as expectations from their fans grew higher , the team came back to mediocrity , finishing last in the Central Division for the third consecutive season and missing the playoffs once again . Dave King , who had been the team ' s head coach since their debut in 2000 , was fired midseason and replaced by general manager Doug MacLean . Marc Denis was named starting goalie ; he played a franchise - record 77 games that season and set an NHL record with 4 , 511 minutes played in 2002 - 03 . He tied for second all - time for games played in a season by a goaltender , just two shy of the NHL record held by St . Louis ' s Grant Fuhr in the 1995 – 96 season . The 2003 – 04 season was another losing season for the Blue Jackets despite key additions in the offseason . Checking center Todd Marchant was signed to a five - year contract in July from the Edmonton Oilers . Defenseman Darryl Sydor , known to play strong offense as well , was acquired from the Dallas Stars for Mike Sillinger and a draft pick . MacLean stepped aside as head coach midway through the season , giving way to Gerard Gallant . The Blue Jackets finished with just 62 points ( the second - lowest total in their short history ) , but it was enough to help them break out of last place in the Central Division for the first time , finishing ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks . Nash was one of the few bright spots for the team ; his 41 goals tied Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk for the Rocket Richard Trophy ( as NHL leader in goals scored ) . In the 2004 off - season , the NHL Players ' Association and the NHL ' s administration failed to renew their collective bargaining agreement . September 14 , 2004 marked the beginning of the lockout of the 2004 - 05 season . No games were played and the Stanley Cup was not awarded for the first time since the flu epidemic of 1919 . An agreement was made on July 13 , 2005 and the lockout officially ended nine days later on July 22 , 2005 . Post - lockout ( 2005 – present ) . In the summer of 2005 , rugged Colorado Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote agreed to a three - year deal with the team . Heading into the 2005 – 06 season , it appeared the Blue Jackets would finally take the next step and make the playoffs . Instead , injuries to Nash , Klesla , and Gilbert Brule , the team ' s 2005 first - round pick , led to the team putting up a dismal 9 – 25 – 1 record through its first 35 games . Superstar Sergei Fedorov was acquired from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks ; Anaheim received Tyler Wright and Francois Beauchemin , and later claimed Todd Marchant off waivers . While again failing to make the playoffs , Columbus did manage to improve . They had the best overtime record in the NHL ( 14 – 4 ) and finished the season with franchise records for wins ( 35 ) and points ( 74 ) . For the first time ever , they earned a third - place finish in the Central Division , behind Detroit and Nashville . 2006 - 2007 saw several changes made to the team . In the offseason , Marc Denis was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Fredrik Modin and goaltending prospect Fredrik Norrena , making way for Pascal Leclaire to take the starting job . The Blue Jackets also signed Anson Carter when it looked as if Nikolai Zherdev would be playing the season in Russia ; in late September , however , Zherdev and General Manager Doug MacLean and Zherdev were able to reach a compromise . Partway through the season , on November 13 , 2006 , Gerard Gallant was relieved of his duties as head coach . The next day , Gary Agnew was named his interim replacement . On November 22 , Ken Hitchcock , former coach of the Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers , was named the new head coach , effective the following day . Under Hitchcock ' s first year , two milestones were set : on December 10 , 2006 , the Blue Jackets scored a team - record five power - play goals against the Ottawa Senators in a 6 – 2 win . , and on April 3 , 2007 , the Blue Jackets broke the modern - day record for most times being shut - out in a season ( 16 ) with a 3 – 0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings . On April 18 , 2007 , Doug MacLean , the team ' s first general manager and president , was fired after nine years and six seasons at the helm without a playoff berth . Mike Priest , President of Blue Jackets parent company JMAC , Inc . , was named President of the club , while Assistant General Manager Jim Clark served as General Manager until the Blue Jackets named Edmonton Oilers Assistant General Manager Scott Howson as the new general manager on June 15 . On October 4 , 2007 , the Blue Jackets announced their affiliation with the Elmira Jackals , which replaced their former affiliation with the Dayton Bombers as the club ' s ECHL affiliate . The 2007 - 2008 season , the club ' s first full season under Hitchcock , started off well as the Jackets got off to their best start in franchise history , starting with a 4 - 0 shutout of the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks . At the trade deadline on February 26 , 2008 , however , apparently unable to agree on a new contract and amid some controversy , Blue Jackets captain Adam Foote requested a trade to the Colorado Avalanche , which was granted . The Jackets received a pair of conditional picks in return . A month later , on March 12 , 2008 , former Blue Jackets number - one draft pick Rick Nash was named the new team captain . Despite this , Columbus managed its best season record to date , staying above . 500 until the very last game of the season and finishing fourth in the Central Division with 80 points . On July 9 , 2008 , the Blue Jackets announced they signed Hitchcock to a three - year extension to remain as head coach . Team information . Team name . The name " Blue Jackets " was chosen to celebrate " patriotism , pride , and the rich American Civil War history in the state of Ohio and city of Columbus . When President Abraham Lincoln requested that Ohio raise ten regiments at the outbreak of the Civil War , the state responded by raising a total of 23 volunteer infantry regiments for three months of service . Ohio also produced a number of great Civil War figures , including William Tecumseh Sherman , Ulysses S . Grant , Philip Sheridan , and George Custer . Columbus itself was host to large military bases , Camp Chase and Camp Thomas , which saw hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers and thousands of Confederate prisoners during the Civil War . Jerseys . The team logo is a stylized version of the flag of Ohio . Previously used as an alternate logo , it became the primary logo as part of a Reebok - sponsored redesign for the 2007 – 08 season . The team ' s sweaters feature an alternate logo , a Civil War cap with crossed hockey sticks , on the shoulders . Broadcasters . On FSN Ohio , Jeff Rimer serves as the television play - by - play announcer alongside analyst Danny Gare , a former NHL player who had his number retired by the Buffalo Sabres . On radio stations WWCD , WBNS , and 29 other affiliates in Ohio , George Matthews and Bill Davidge provide audio coverage . Matthews has been calling Blue Jackets games since the team ' s inception in 2000 . Rimer started calling games on television in 2005 , and Gare joined him in 2006 . FSN Ohio , which broadcasts 75 games per season , airs pre - game and post - game shows for each game , hosted by Jim Day , Bill Davidge , and Jeff Hogan . The host of the radio pre - and post - game shows is Mark Wyant . Fans can interact by email and phone with the radio personalties during and after the game . Season - by - season record . " This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Blue Jackets . For the full season - by - season history , see Columbus Blue Jackets seasons " " 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 " Players . Honored members . Hall - of - Famers . The Blue Jackets have not had any members of the Hockey Hall of Fame associated with their organization . Retired numbers . The Blue Jackets have yet to retire any of their own numbers . However , Wayne Gretzky ' s number 99 was retired league - wide on February 6 , 2000 . Franchise scoring leaders . These are the top - ten point - scorers in franchise history as of the 2007 – 08 NHL season . " Note : Pos = Position ; GP = Games Played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; P / G = Points per game ; * = current Blue Jackets player " NHL awards and trophies . Rocket Richard Trophy