Columbus Blue Jackets
About the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets joined the NHL as an expansion franchise in 2000 alongside the Minnesota Wild.
Based in Ohio's state capital, the Blue Jackets initially struggled to establish themselves as a playoff team. Columbus did not reach the postseason until the 2008-09 season, when the franchise qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time.
The Blue Jackets have since produced several memorable teams and players, although the franchise is still searching for its first division championship, conference championship and Stanley Cup.
Division History
When Columbus entered the NHL in 2000, the Blue Jackets were placed in the Central Division of the Western Conference.
The team remained in the Central until the NHL reorganized its conferences and divisions ahead of the 2013-14 season. Columbus moved to the Eastern Conference and became a member of the Metropolitan Division.
The Blue Jackets have remained in the Metropolitan Division since then, with the exception of the shortened 2020-21 season. For that season only, the NHL temporarily realigned its divisions because of travel restrictions, and Columbus competed in the Central Division.
The Blue Jackets returned to the Metropolitan Division for the 2021-22 season.
Championship History
Columbus reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2009 but was swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round.
The Blue Jackets returned to the postseason in 2014 and recorded the first playoff victory in franchise history against the Pittsburgh Penguins, although Pittsburgh eventually won the series in six games.
The franchise's biggest postseason breakthrough came in 2019.
Columbus faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round after Tampa Bay had tied the NHL record at the time with 62 regular-season victories and won the Presidents' Trophy.
Despite entering the series as the lower seed, the Blue Jackets swept Tampa Bay in four games. It was the first playoff series victory in Columbus history and made the Blue Jackets the first team to sweep a Presidents' Trophy winner in the opening round.
Columbus then faced the Boston Bruins in the second round and took a 2-1 series lead before Boston won three consecutive games to eliminate the Blue Jackets in six.
The 2019 second-round appearance remains the deepest playoff run in franchise history. Columbus has yet to reach a conference final or Stanley Cup Final.
Home of the Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets have played their home games at Nationwide Arena since their inaugural NHL season in 2000.
Located in downtown Columbus' Arena District, Nationwide Arena was built specifically as the centerpiece of the city's successful effort to attract an NHL franchise.
The arena opened in September 2000, shortly before the Blue Jackets began their first season. Its hockey capacity is 18,144.
In addition to Blue Jackets games, Nationwide Arena has hosted major hockey events including NHL All-Star festivities, NCAA Frozen Four games and international competitions.
Notable Blue Jackets
Rick Nash became the first true star of the Columbus Blue Jackets after the team selected him with the first overall pick in the 2002 NHL Draft.
Nash spent nine seasons with Columbus and recorded 289 goals and 547 points in 674 regular-season games. He remains the franchise's all-time leader in both goals and points.
During the 2003-04 season, Nash scored 41 goals and shared the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer. He later served as Blue Jackets captain from 2008 until his trade to the New York Rangers in 2012.
In 2022, Nash became the first Blue Jackets player to have his number retired when his No. 61 was raised to the rafters at Nationwide Arena.
Sergei Bobrovsky established himself as one of the NHL's leading goaltenders during his seven seasons in Columbus.
Bobrovsky won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in 2012-13 and again in 2016-17. His second Vezina-winning season included a then-franchise-record 41 victories.
He also played a central role in the Blue Jackets' historic 2019 playoff upset of Tampa Bay and finished his Columbus career with 213 regular-season victories.
Zach Werenski developed into one of the greatest defensemen in franchise history after Columbus selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Werenski became the franchise's all-time leader in assists in 2025 and has established Blue Jackets records for goals, assists and points by a defenseman.
His 2025-26 season became one of the most accomplished individual campaigns in franchise history. Werenski recorded 81 points and won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman, becoming the first Blue Jackets player to receive the award.
Boone Jenner has also become one of the longest-serving players in franchise history. Selected by Columbus in the 2011 NHL Draft, Jenner became team captain in 2021 and later surpassed Rick Nash's franchise record for games played.
In March 2026, Jenner became the first player to appear in 800 regular-season games for the Blue Jackets.
Other prominent players in Blue Jackets history include Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno, David Vyborny, Seth Jones and Artemi Panarin.