2001–02 Columbus Blue Jackets season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=2001–02
Team=Columbus Blue Jackets
Conference=Western
ConferenceRank=15th
Division=Central
DivisionRank=5th
Record=22–47–8–5
HomeRecord=14–18–5–4
RoadRecord=8–29–3–1
GoalsFor=164
GoalsAgainst=255
GeneralManager=Doug MacLean
Coach=Dave King
Captain=Lyle Odelein
AltCaptain=
Arena=Nationwide Arena
Attendance=18,136
GoalsLeader=Ray Whitney (21)
AssistsLeader=Ray Whitney (40)
PointsLeader=Ray Whitney (61)
PlusMinusLeader=
PIMLeader=Jody Shelley (206)
WinsLeader=Ron Tugnutt (12)
GAALeader=Ron Tugnutt (2.85)

The 2001–02 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the Blue Jackets' 2nd season in the NHL, as the team was coming off a 28–39–9–6 record in their expansion season, earning 71 points, and missing the playoffs.

Columbus would get off to a rough start, winning only 1 out of 13 games to open the season, and sit in the basement of the Western Conference. While the Blue Jackets would play better as the season went on, they were long out of the playoff picture, and eventually would trade team captain Lyle Odelein to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jaroslav Spacek at the trade deadline. Columbus would finish the season with a 22–47–8–5 record, earning 57 points, which was 14 fewer points than in their previous season, and 37 points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Columbus would score a league low 164 goals, and their 255 goals against was the highest total in the Western Conference, and 3rd highest in the entire NHL. The 57 points the Jackets earned was the 2nd fewest in the league, only ahead of the Atlanta Thrashers, who finished with 54.

Ray Whitney would lead Columbus offensively, scoring a team high 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points, which broke the team record for points in a season. Mike Sillinger would be the only other Blue Jacket to score 20 goals, as he scored 20 and added 23 assists for 43 points. Deron Quint led the Jackets defense, earning 25 points, while Rostislav Klesla scored 8 goals and earned 16 points in his 1st full season. Jody Shelley had a team high and club record 206 penalty minutes in only 52 games.

In goal, Ron Tugnutt and Marc Denis would split time, with Tugnutt winning a team high 12 games and posting a team best 2.85 GAA.

Tragedy struck at Nationwide Arena during a game on March 16, 2002, against the Calgary Flames, when a shot by Jackets forward Espen Knutsen was deflected off the stick of Flames defenceman Derek Morris, and sailed into the stands, hitting 13 year old Brittanie Cecil in the head. Cecil would pass away on March 18 due to the injury.

eason standings

Goaltending

Draft picks

Columubus' draft picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft

References

* [http://www.shrpsports.com SHRP Sports]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com The Internet Hockey Database]
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007