Sunday, September 4, 2011

The Dark Blue Jacket's Definitive History of the CBJ

We here at the Dark Blue Jacket are eagerly awaiting the beginning of training camp, and of course, dying for content, just like everyone else.  When the words 'storied franchise' are spoken, the Columbus Blue Jackets is not the franchise that comes to mind.  But with the beginning of our second decade in the NHL, we have a history.  For better or worse.  So it seems appropriate at this time to review where we have been.  With that in mind, we bring you The Dark Blue Jackets Definitive History of the CBJ, a multi-part series designed to tide us over to the start of training camp.  Sure hope this works, the waiting is killing me.

The Inaugural Season - Our Lovable Bums
The Columbus Blue Jackets initial team logo
The first season of the Columbus Blue Jackets had arrived for the 2000-01 NHL season. The NHL has come to Columbus, Ohio!   You can still smell the new car smell in Nationwide arena.  The team ends the season with 28 wins - 39 Losses, and 9 ties and 6 overtime games for a total of 71 points.  It would be 2005-06 before we saw another CBJ team achieve that point total.  This was good for a tie for 4th in the Central Division, and 13th in the Western Conference.

Many Blue Jackets fans still think of this period with a sort of soft, fuzzy feeling.  The team rallied late in the season with an all out, team effort game in spite of their noticeable lack of talent.  Ron Tugnutt sets a record for most wins by an expansion franchise goalie.  This team won the admiration of their fans for their pluck, and their effort.  It was long before those good feelings wore off.  Doug MacLean, the President and General Manager had pulled off a significant accomplishment.  The launching of an NHL franchise in a place that had only seen minor league hockey in the past.

A good time was had by all!


This team had a winning record at home, to 26 sell out crowds, going 19W-15L-4T-3OT.  The results were not quite as good on the road, where they were 9-24-5-3.

Pertinent Records for that season.

Games Played - 81 - Serge Aubin, Lyle Odelein

Points - 56 - Geoff Sanderson

Goals - 30 - Geoff Sanderson

Assists - 42 - Espen Knutsen

Plus/Minus - 7 - Jamie Pushor

Penalty Minutes - 140 - Tyler Wright

Power Play Goals - 14 - Steve Heinze

Shorthanded Goals - 1 - Tyler Wright, Robert Kron, Jamie Pushor

Game-Winning Goals - 7 - Geoff Sanderson

Game-Tying Goals - 1 - Tyler Wright, Serge Aubin, Chris Nielsen

Shots on Goal - 199 - Geoff Sanderson

Shooting Percentage - 17.7 - Espen Knutsen

Face-off Winning Percentage - 57.4- Kevyn Adams

Points by Defenseman - 27 - Jamie Heward

Goals by Defenseman - 11 - Jamie Heward

Hat Tricks - 1 - Geoff Sanderson, Tyler Wright, Deron Quint

Ice Time - All Players - 24:05 - Deron Quint

Ice Time - Forwards - 18:49 - Steve Heinze

Goal Tenders


Games Played - 53 - Ron Tugnutt

Goals-Against Average - 2.44 - Ron Tugnutt

Save Percentage - .917 - Ron Tugnutt

Wins - 22 - Ron Tugnutt

Notable - A late season trade with the Florida Panthers brought Ray Whitney to the CBJ for Kevyn Adams, one of our good young players.  Rostislav Klesla was selected with our first number 1 draft pick.  Lyle Odelein is the first team Captain.

Up Next - The MacLeanian Epoch - The Early Deludian Period

Below is the team roster.


#POSPLAYERGPGAP+/-PIMPPSHGWSS%
8LGEOFF SANDERSON6830265644690719915.1
21CESPEN KNUTSEN66114253-3302006217.7
57RSTEPHEN HEINZE65222042-1938140312517.6
28CTYLER WRIGHT76161632-914041214111.3
9RDAVID VYBORNY79131932-92250112510.4
10CSERGE AUBIN81131730-2010700211011.8
28DJAMIE HEWARD6911162733390110810.2
21DDERON QUINT5771623-19163001484.7
25RBRUCE GARDINER7371522-1780016011.7
17CKEVYN ADAMS6681220-452001849.5
18CROBERT KRON59811194100111346.0
29RALEXANDER SELIVANOV5981119-11385021047.7
24DLYLE ODELEIN8131417-161181001042.9
33DPETTERI NUMMELIN6141216-1110200994.0
11RKEVIN DINEEN66871521260037410.8
5DJAMIE PUSHOR7531013794010644.7
3DMATTIAS TIMANDER762911-824001682.9
22RCHRIS NIELSEN29459440013611.1
4DFRANTISEK KUCERA48257-512000513.9
15RMIKE MANELUK39516-11332023116.1
34DJEAN-LUC GRAND-PIERRE64145-673000333.0
17LSTEVE MALTAIS26033-912000300.0
13LRAY WHITNEY3033-1200030.0
43RJAN CALOUN11033-82000140.0
32DRADIM BICANEK902216000110.0
19LKRZYSZTOF OLIWA1002213400050.0
40CWILLIAM BOWLER9022-3800030.0
97DROSTISLAV KLESLA8202-160001020.0
20LMARTIN SPANHEL6101-12000812.5
16RBLAKE SLOAN14101-213000166.3
23DKEVIN DAHL40001200030.0
12CTED DRURY1000-3000030.0
24DMICHAEL GAUL20000400030.0
36LSEAN SELMSER10000500020.0
41RMATT DAVIDSON50002000020.0
45LJODY SHELLEY100001000000.0
52LMATHIEU DARCHE9000-4000090.0


Goal Tenders
#GOALIEGPIGSMINGAAWLOTSOSAGASV%GAPIM
31RON TUGNUTT535331292.442225541528127.917012
38MARC DENIS322918303.256201094099.895002
35JEAN-FRANCOIS LABBE00000000000



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