That was followed immediately thereafter by a 2-7-3 stretch that sent the team back toward earth, but they were not done. A team-record eight-game road point streak in January and February helped push the team back toward playoff contention, and an 8-1-1 stretch from Feb. 4-25 put Columbus just two points back of a playoff spot.
The team made a deal to get forward Scottie Upshall and defenseman Sami Lepisto at the trade deadline in a deal that cost the team its first-ever draft pick in Rostislav Klesla, but a stretch-run rally never materialized. A seven-game losing streak put the nail in the team's coffin, and by the end of the campaign, Columbus finished 34-35-13, good for 79 points and another last-place finish in the Central Division.
A team largely unchanged from the previous year's disappointing finish did have its great start, a run highlighted by the first-ever games held in Europe for the franchise. Columbus opened the season Oct. 8-9 in Stockholm, Sweden, with a pair of games vs. San Jose, with the Blue Jackets dropping the opening game before capturing the second one by a 3-2 score on an overtime goal by Ethan Moreau.
A month later, more history was made as Columbus posted an 8-1 victory against St. Louis, then the most lopsided win ever for the franchise. But the club couldn't keep it going, winning just 20 of its last 62 games after the team debuted a third jersey featuring new steel blue and vintage white colors as well as a depiction of the club's signature 1857 Napoleon cannon on its crest.
By the end of the season, the team was 25th in goal scoring and 26th in scoring defense. They were led again by Nash, who played in his fifth straight All-Star Game amid a season in which he had team highs of 32 goals and 66 points in 75 games. R.J. Umberger turned in another solid campaign with a 25-32-57 line, while Antoine Vermette and Derrick Brassard each tallied 47 points. At age 21, Jakub Voracek was impressive as he totaled 14 goals and 46 points.
Steve Mason finished the year with 53 starts and 54 appearances, going 24-21-7 with a 3.03 goals-against average and .901 save percentage, while Mathieu Garon was 10-14-6 in 29 starts/36 games.
