2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets season
National Hockey League season
The 2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the Blue Jackets' fourth season in the NHL , as the team was coming off of a 29–42–8–3 record in the 2002–03 season , earning 69 points to finish in last place in the Western Conference for the second-straight year.
Off-season
Columbus would undergo some changes during the off-season, as leading scorer and team captain Ray Whitney would leave to sign with the Detroit Red Wings . The Blue Jackets named veteran defenseman Luke Richardson the third captain in franchise history.[ 1]
Regular season
The Blue Jackets would get off to a solid start in 2003–04, winning three of their first four games, though the club would eventually go on a seven-game losing streak to quickly fall out of playoff contention. Columbus would continue to struggle, and General Manager and Head Coach Doug MacLean announced on January 1, 2004, that he would step down from head coaching duties, naming Blue Jackets assistant coach and former NHL player Gerard Gallant as his replacement.[ 2] Columbus posted a 9–21–4–3 record under MacLean. While the Blue Jackets would play better hockey with Gallant behind the bench, the team would fail once again to earn a playoff spot, as they finished the season with a 25–45–8–4 record for 62 points—seven fewer than the previous season—and finish 29 points the Nashville Predators for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Columbus, however, climbed out of the basement in the Central Division for the first time in franchise history after finishing ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks .
Rick Nash had a memorable season, finishing in a three-way tie with Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers and Jarome Iginla from the Calgary Flames to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the League's highest goal-scorer; he scored a club-record 41 goals and finished with a team-best 57 points. David Vyborny led the Blue Jackets with 31 assists and finished second to Nash with 53 points. Rookie Nikolai Zherdev also contributed a solid 34 points in 57 games. On defense, Anders Eriksson led the Jackets with 27 points, while Jaroslav Spacek contributed with 22 points in just 58 games. Jody Shelley provided the team toughness, earning a team-high 228 penalty minutes.
In goal, Marc Denis was the team's number one, playing a team-high 66 games, winning 21 of them, posting a team best 2.56 goals against average (GAA) and earning five shutouts .
The Blue Jackets would finish the season having tied the Dallas Stars for most times shut-out, with 11.[ 3]
Season standings
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.
Divisions: CE – Central, PA – Pacific, NW – Northwest
P – Clinched Presidents Trophy ; Y – Clinched Division ; X – Clinched Playoff spot
Schedule and results
2003–04 regular season[ 6]
October: 3–6–0–1 (home: 3–2–0–0; road: 0–4–0–1)
November: 4–6–3–0 (home: 4–2–2–0; road: 0–4–1–0)
December: 2–9–1–2 (home: 1–6–1–1; road: 1–3–0–1)
January: 6–6–3–0 (home: 4–2–1–0; road: 2–4–2–0)
February: 4–7–1–1 (home: 3–1–0–1; road: 1–6–1–0)
March: 5–10–0–0 (home: 2–4–0–0; road: 3–6–0–0)
April: 1–1–0–0 (home: 0–1–0–0; road: 1–0–0–0)
Legend :
Win (2 points)
Loss (0 points)
Tie (1 point)
Overtime loss (1 point)
Player statistics
Scoring
Position abbreviations: C = Center ; D = Defense ; G = Goaltender ; LW = Left wing ; RW = Right wing
† = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only.
‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only.
Goaltending
Awards and records
Awards
Transactions
The Blue Jackets were involved in the following transactions from June 10, 2003, the day after the deciding game of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals , through June 7, 2004, the day of the deciding game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals .[ 12]
Trades
Date
Details
Ref
June 22, 2003
To Carolina Hurricanes 4th-round pick in 2004
To Columbus Blue Jackets 5th-round pick in 2003 6th-round pick in 2003
[ 13]
June 22, 2003
To Los Angeles Kings 9th-round pick in 2004
To Columbus Blue Jackets 9th-round pick in 2003
[ 13]
July 22, 2003
To Dallas Stars Mike Sillinger 2nd-round pick in 2004
To Columbus Blue Jackets Darryl Sydor
[ 14]
October 3, 2003
To Boston Bruins Travis Green
To Columbus Blue Jackets 6th-round pick in 2004
[ 15]
October 30, 2003
To Vancouver Canucks Sean Pronger
To Columbus Blue Jackets Zenith Komarniski
[ 16]
December 31, 2003
To Atlanta Thrashers Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre
To Columbus Blue Jackets Future considerations
[ 17]
January 23, 2004
To New York Rangers Jamie Pushor
To Columbus Blue Jackets 8th-round pick in 2004
[ 18]
January 27, 2004
To Tampa Bay Lightning Darryl Sydor 4th-round pick in 2004
To Columbus Blue Jackets Alexander Svitov 3rd-round pick in 2004
[ 19]
February 10, 2004
To Pittsburgh Penguins Pauli Levokari
To Columbus Blue Jackets Brendan Buckley
[ 20]
March 9, 2004
To Pittsburgh Penguins Lasse Pirjeta
To Columbus Blue Jackets Brian Holzinger
[ 21]
March 9, 2004
To Vancouver Canucks Geoff Sanderson
To Columbus Blue Jackets 3rd-round pick in 2004
[ 22]
Players acquired
Players lost
Date
Player
New team
Via[ c]
Ref
July 1, 2003 (2003-07-01 )
Radim Bicanek [ d]
Contract expiration (UFA)
[ 31]
Jean-Francois Labbe
HC Lada Togliatti (RSL )
Free agency (VI)
[ 33]
Jonathan Schill[ e]
Contract expiration (UFA)
[ 31]
July 7, 2003 (2003-07-07 )
Darren Van Impe
Hamburg Freezers (DEL )
Free agency (UFA)
[ 35]
July 15, 2003 (2003-07-15 )
Matt Davidson
Calgary Flames
Free agency (VI)
[ 36]
July 29, 2003 (2003-07-29 )
Ray Whitney
Detroit Red Wings
Free agency (III)
[ 37]
August 9, 2003 (2003-08-09 )
Paul Manning
Hamburg Freezers (DEL)
Free agency (II)[ f]
[ 39]
September 10, 2003 (2003-09-10 )
Jamie Allison
Nashville Predators
Free agency (UFA)
[ 40]
Mathieu Darche
Nashville Predators
Free agency (VI)
[ 40]
October 3, 2003 (2003-10-03 )
Petr Tenkrat
Toronto Maple Leafs
Waiver draft
[ 15]
October 9, 2003 (2003-10-09 )
Dan Watson
Providence Bruins (AHL )
Free agency (UFA)
[ 41]
October 10, 2003 (2003-10-10 )
Blake Bellefeuille
Providence Bruins (AHL)
Free agency (VI)
[ 42]
December 16, 2003 (2003-12-16 )
Espen Knutsen
Valerenga (Norway )[ g]
Buyout
[ 44]
January 9, 2004 (2004-01-09 )
Todd Rohloff
Washington Capitals
Waivers
[ 45]
May 12, 2004 (2004-05-12 )
Derrick Walser
Eisbaren Berlin (DEL)
Free agency[ h]
[ 47]
Signings
Date
Player
Term
Contract type
Ref
June 12, 2003 (2003-06-12 )
Pauli Levokari
1-year[ b]
Re-signing
[ 48]
Donald MacLean
1-year[ b]
Re-signing
[ 48]
July 1, 2003 (2003-07-01 )
Andrew Cassels
multi-year
Re-signing
[ 49]
July 15, 2003 (2003-07-15 )
Aleksandr Guskov
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 24]
July 18, 2003 (2003-07-18 )
Darrel Scoville
Re-signing
[ 50]
Derrick Walser
Re-signing
[ 50]
July 24, 2003 (2003-07-24 )
David Ling
Re-signing
[ 51]
Brad Moran
Re-signing
[ 51]
August 13, 2003 (2003-08-13 )
Kent McDonell
Re-signing
[ 52]
Jeremy Reich
Re-signing
[ 52]
August 15, 2003 (2003-08-15 )
Nikolay Zherdev
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 53]
August 26, 2003 (2003-08-26 )
Karl Goehring
Re-signing
[ 54]
October 6, 2003 (2003-10-06 )
Dan Fritsche
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 55]
March 19, 2004 (2004-03-19 )
Steven Goertzen
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 56]
April 19, 2004 (2004-04-19 )
Greg Mauldin
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 30]
May 26, 2004 (2004-05-26 )
Jody Shelley
2-year
Re-signing
[ 57]
June 1, 2004 (2004-06-01 )
Tim Konsorada
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 58]
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen
multi-year
Entry-level
[ 58]
Draft picks
Columbus' draft picks at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee .[ 59]
Notes
^ Shared with Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers and Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames
^ a b c Club option for a second year.
^ In parentheses is the player's free agency group on July 1 if applicable.[ 31]
^ Bicanek was inactive during the 2003–04 season.[ 32]
^ Schill retired.[ 34]
^ Columbus retained Manning’s NHL rights through the 2006–07 season.[ 38]
^ Knutsen signed with Valerenga on December 17.[ 43]
^ Columbus retained Walser’s NHL rights until trading them to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 30, 2005.[ 46]
References
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^ "2003-04 NHL Schedule and Results | Hockey-Reference.com" . Hockey-Reference.com . Retrieved September 23, 2016 .
^ "2003-2004 Division Standings" . National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2012 .
^ "2003–2004 Standings by Conference" . National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2012 .
^ "2003-04 Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule and Results" . Hockey-Reference.com . Retrieved August 10, 2022 .
^ "Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy" . records.nhl.com . Retrieved August 8, 2022 .
^ "2004 NHL All-Star Game Rosters" . Hockey-Reference.com . Retrieved August 29, 2024 .
^ "DAVID VYBORNY NAMED NHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK" . Columbus Blue Jackets . March 1, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2022 .
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^ a b Columbus Blue Jackets 2014–2015 Media Guide, p.301
^ "Hockey Transactions Search Results" . Pro Sports Transactions . Retrieved May 8, 2022 .
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^ "BLUE JACKETS ACQUIRE CENTER BRIAN HOLZINGER FROM PITTSBURGH PENGUINS IN EXCHANGE FOR CENTER LASSE PIRJETA" . Columbus Blue Jackets . March 9, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "BLUE JACKETS TRADE LEFT WING GEOFF SANDERSON TO VANCOUVER FOR A THIRD ROUND PICK IN THE 2004 ENTRY DRAFT" . Columbus Blue Jackets . March 9, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ a b "BLUE JACKETS SIGN FREE AGENTS TODD MARCHANT & TREVOR LETOWSKI" . Columbus Blue Jackets . July 3, 2003. Archived from the original on October 22, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ a b "BLUE JACKETS SIGN CENTER MARK HARTIGAN, DEFENSEMAN ALEXANDER GUSJKOV" . Columbus Blue Jackets . July 15, 2003. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS SIGN DEFENSEMAN TODD ROHLOFF" . Columbus Blue Jackets . September 5, 2003. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "BLUE JACKETS SIGN DEFENSEMAN ANDERS ERIKSSON" . Columbus Blue Jackets . October 10, 2003. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "BLUE JACKETS CLAIM CENTER MANNY MALHOTRA OFF WAIVERS FROM DALLAS STARS" . Columbus Blue Jackets . November 21, 2003. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "BLUE JACKETS SIGN DEFENSEMAN JAMIE PUSHOR" . Columbus Blue Jackets . December 10, 2003. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "BLUE JACKETS SIGN UNIVERSITY OF MAINE ALL-AMERICA DEFENSEMAN PRESTIN RYAN" . Columbus Blue Jackets . April 12, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ a b "BLUE JACKETS SIGN FORWARDS GREG MAULDIN AND BRANDON SUGDEN" . Columbus Blue Jackets . April 19, 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ a b c "2003 NHL free agent list" . ESPN.com . July 1, 2003. Retrieved May 8, 2022 .
^ Radim Bicanek career statistics at EliteProspects.com , retrieved May 16, 2022
^ Jean-Francois Labbe at Hockey-Reference.com , retrieved May 16, 2022
^ Jonathan Schill career statistics at EliteProspects.com , retrieved May 16, 2022
^ Darren Van Impe at Hockey-Reference.com , retrieved May 16, 2022
^ "Flames re-sign Yelle, add Davidson" . Calgary Flames . July 15, 2003. Archived from the original on August 3, 2003. Retrieved May 12, 2022 .
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^ "NHL Releases Free Agent List" . Colorado Avalanche. July 1, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
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^ a b "Predators Transactions" . Nashville Predators . Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ "Thomas Assigned to P-Bruins, Wilde Signed" . OurSports Central . October 9, 2003. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
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^ "DEFENSEMAN TODD ROHLOFF CLAIMED OFF WAIVERS BY WASHINGTON CAPITALS" . Columbus Blue Jackets . January 9, 2004. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
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^ "BLUE JACKETS RE-SIGN CENTER ANDREW CASSELS" . Columbus Blue Jackets . July 1, 2003. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
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