A First For The Blue Jackets

For the first time in their franchise's existence, the Columbus Blue Jackets are headed to the playoffs. And it only took eight seasons get there!

This is a team that has picked within the top 8 of every NHL entry draft since 2000. Let's take a look.

• 2000, Rusty Klesla (D) #4 overall
• 2001, Pascal LeClaire (G) #8 overall
• 2002, Rick Nash (LW) #1 overall
• 2003, Nikolai Zherdev (RW) #4 overall
• 2004, Alexandre Picard (LW) #8 overall
• 2005, Gilbert Brule (C) #6 overall
• 2006, Derick Brassard (C) #6 overall
• 2007, Jacub Voracek (C) #7 overall
• 2008, Nikolai Filtaov (RW) #6 overall

So basically, the Jackets only nailed it perfectly once in all those drafts - and that's when they really had no choice but to take the much-hyped Rick Nash (pictured above). In all fairness, half of these picks have become full-time NHLers and it's still too early to rule out players like Picard or Brule.

When the franchise needed a strong start via the draft in 2000, they missed out on the three players chosen (Rick DiPietro, Dany Heatley, and Marian Gaborik) before them. All three players eventually became franchise cornerstones and when looking at picks #5 - 17, the other choices for were nothing to regret. So the Jackets were dealt a bad hand from the start and it took them awhile to figure things out.

Just when it looked like the team was turning a corner with a 12-point improvement upon the previous year in 2005-06, their play regressed.

It would take 2 key changes to get this franchise to respectability.

1. The hiring of head coach Ken Hitchcock. A great teacher of the game and a man who knows how to push the right buttons with veterans and how to motivate and educate the young players.

2. The emergence of goaltender Steve Mason. The 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft could turn out to be a savior for a team that has never had elite goaltending.

The Jackets need to avoid finishing the season in the #7 spot. Something they can take care of with at least one win in their final two games. I believe this is a team that can advance a round - if they face the Canucks, Blackhawks or Flames - making them a team to watch once the Stanley Cup playoffs commence.