The Roaming Photographer: Colubus Blue Jackets

https://www.amazon.com/Columbus-Jackets-National-Sticker-Scrapbook/dp/B09KM5LQMC

The Columbus Blue Jackets (often referred to as the Jackets) are a professional hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, and they compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference and began play as an expansion team in 2000.

The Blue Jackets struggled in their initial years, failing to win 30 games in a season until 2005 – 2006. The team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2009 but was swept by the Detroit Red Wings. Columbus ultimately notched their first playoff game victory in the 2014 playoffs and won their first playoff series in the 2019 playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the first team in NHL history to sweep a Presidents’ Trophy winner in the first round. Along with the Seattle Kraken, the Blue Jackets are one of only two teams in the league who have yet to appear in the conference finals.

The Blue Jackets name and logos are inspired by Ohio’s Civil War History. The Blue Jackets play their home games at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus, which opened in 2000. They are affiliated with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Before the establishment of the Blue Jackets, the last NHL team in the state of Ohio was the Cleveland Barons, who played from 1976 to 1978. In Columbus, the Blue Jackets replaced the Columbus Chill of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), who played in the city from 1991 to 1999. The Chill played at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, where they set a minor league hockey record by selling out 83 consecutive games.

In November 1996, five investors formed a partnership called Columbus Hockey Limited, which then submitted an application and a $100,000 fee to the NHL office.( http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=48071) The voters of Columbus were considering a referendum to build a publicly financed arena, a major step toward approval of their NHL bid. (https://archive.today/20081205174510/http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970114/01140201.htm) When League 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 area would be built, referendum or not. (https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2008-05-07-2296661618_x.htm)

Columbus’ hopes for the bid dimmed when the May referendum failed. However, Nationwide (Insurance company) 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. Afterward, a “Name the Team” contest was held with the help of Wendy’s throughout central Ohio during August of 1997. The franchise received 14,000 entries and, with help from the NHL, narrowed the list down to 10 names. Then, with the information received from owner McConnell regarding Columbus’ history, the league and the franchise narrowed the list of potential names down to two – Blue Jackets and Justice. The former, which referenced Ohio’s contributions to the American Civil War, was eventually announced as the team name in November.(https://web.archive.org/web/20150223041742/http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=479316)

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. Throughout the draft, Columbus picked up goaltender Dwyane 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 Worchester IceCats, Schnieder left of 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.

Logos and Jerseys

Photo Credit (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/297870962860508555/)

The team logo is a stylized version of the flag of Ohio, which is a burgee (i.e., swallowtail pennant), in the form of a “C” wrapped around a star, representing both patriotism and Columbus’s status as the state capital. (https://web.archive.org/web/20150223041742/http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=479316). Previously used as an alternate logo starting in 2003, it became the primary logo as part of a Reebok-sponsored redesign for the 2007—2008 season. The original logo had a red ribbon with 13 stars representing the Thirteen Colonies, unfurled in the shape of the team’s initials, CBJ, with an electric gold hockey stick cutting through the center to represent the “J.” An additional star atop the stick represented Columbus’s status as state capital. From 2003 to 2015, the team’s jerseys featured an alternate logo, a Civil War cap with crossed hockey sticks, on the shoulders.

Photo Credit (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/666673551067142035/)

Since their inception, the Blue Jackets have worn navy and white jerseys with red pants. The jerseys have been tweaked several times over the years, mainly in the crest and striping treatment.

The Blue Jackets unveiled a new third jersey in the 2010—2011 season, using a vintage hockey jersey design. In the spirit of its Civil War theme, it sports a Union blue base with white stripes on the sleeves and on the shoulder padding. The crest features the team’s Civil War-era cannon. It honors the team’s founder John H. McConnell, with his initials on the neckline, as well as its slogan “We fight, we march!” on the inside of the collar. During the 2015 NHL Draft, it was revealed that the cannon crest had replaced the hat logo on the shoulders of the home and away jerseys, with a color change to match the jersey’s color scheme.