The Columbus Blue Jackets were an expansion team coming into the NHL, so obviously they weren't going to be very good
but in the following years, they could have drafted better and in turn build a contending team.
The Rebuild starts at the 2001 draft, two trades are made.
Columbus Blue Jackets trade Geoff Sanderson to the Florida Panthers for 1st round pick 2001, 2nd round pick 2002.
Geoff Sanderson has great trade value and the Panthers really need that marquee player to help boost their franchise.
At the 2001 draft, the Blue Jackets trade picks 8, 24, 38, 53 to the Ottawa Senators for pick 2
Even though the Blue Jackets have to give up 4 picks in order to get the 2nd pick it is worth it because of who they will be able to select with it.
Changes in 2001 draft
2 (from OTT)-Jason Spezza
87-Patrick Sharp
141-Marek Zidlicky
204-Marek Svatos
The Blue Jackets finish the 2001-02 season with the Worst Record in the NHL.
At the 2002 draft, the Blue Jackets make three trades.
Columbus Blue Jackets trade Mike Sillinger to the Dallas Stars for 2nd round pick 2003.
Mike Sillinger is better suited on a playoff team like the Dallas Stars, rather than an expansion team like the Blue Jackets.
Ray Whitney is dealt to the Detroit Red Wings for 2nd round pick 2002, 1st round pick 2004.
Ray Whitney has too much trade value to pass up on trading, the return is too good to turn down.
Columbus Blue Jackets trade up in the draft trading picks 41, 58 (acquired via trade from DET), 2nd round pick 2004 to Carolina Hurricanes for pick 25.
Even though its a lot to give up for a late first round pick, it is worth it because of who the Blue Jackets can select.
Rick Nash is still selected 1st overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, as Blue Jackets really needed a franchise player at the time.
Changes in the 2002 draft
25 (from CAR)-Cam Ward
40 (from FLA)-Juri Hudler
65-Frans Nielsen
96-Tom Gilbert
199-Dennis Wideman
231-Jonathan Ericsson
Without Ray Whitney and Mike Sillinger, the Blue Jackets finish the 2002-03 season with the 2nd worst Record in the league.
Before the 2003 draft, A blockbuster trade is made;
Columbus Blue Jackets trade Andrew Cassels and David Vyborny to the Phoenix Coyotes for Daniel Briere, 2nd round pick 2004.
Andrew Cassels and David Vyborny will bring some secondary scoring for the Coyotes,
while Daniel Briere will be a good 2nd line center behind Jason Spezza.
At the 2003 draft, the Blue Jackets trade Trade down, they trade pick 2 to the Nashville Predators for pick 7, 35, 37, 1st round pick 2004
The 2003 draft is really deep, so i think the Blue Jackets could use a few extra picks to fill those voids
Then the Blue Jackets trade picks 35, 37, 46 to the Vancouver Canucks for picks 23.
The Blue Jackets have 4 2nd round picks, so they should move some of them to get a late first round pick.
Changes in 2003 draft
7 (from NSH)-Ryan Suter
23 (from VAN)-Ryan Kesler
54 (from DAL)-David Backes
233-Dustin Byfuglien
The 2003-04 Columbus Blue jackets mave improved drastically from the 2002-03 season with Jason Spezza and Rick Nash leading the charge,
however they still miss the playoffs and finish as the 10th worst record in the league.
At the 2004 draft, the Blue jackets trade picks 10 to New Jersey Devils for pick 20, 2nd round pick 2005 (Kris Letang).
Since the Blue jackets don't really have anyone they want to draft with the 10th pick, they trade down.
Changes in 2004 draft
15 (from NSH)-Alex Radulov
20 (from NJ)-Travis Zajac
29 (from DET)-Mike Green
38 (from PHX)-David Booth
46-Alex Goligoski
59-Alex Edler
94-Thomas Greiss
96-Johan Franzen
231-Pekka Rinne
The Lockout cancels the 2004-05 season but when the NHL resumes in 2005-2006, the Blue Jackets have assembled a pretty good roster.
Because the Blue jackets already have Cam Ward along with Pekka Rinne and Thomas Greiss in the Pipeline, they don't sign Fredrik Norrena.
Blue Jackets also don't sign Sergei Federov, Fredrick Modin and Adam Foote.
Before the 2006-07 season, a few trades are made.
Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Marc Giordano from the Calagry Flames for Tom Gilbert, 3rd round pick 2006.
The Blue Jackets need a young 3rd pair defenseman to pair with Mike Green and Marc Giordano is a perfect fit with him;
Giordano is a bit raw but could develop into a top pair defenseman down the line.
The Blue Jackets also trade Alex Goligoski, J.Franzen, 1st round pick 2007 to the Chicago Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu, Radim Vrbata.
This is quite a lot to give up but it is worth it be Ruutu was a top prospect but in 2006 and Vrbata could be a fit on the top line with Nash and Spezza.
On the Other had the Blackhawks would get two really good prospects in Goligoski and Franzen and a 1st round pick in 2007.
Marek Svatos, Alex Edler are to the Boston Bruins for Zdeno Chara, 2nd round pick 2007.
The Blue jackets need a top 4 defenseman and Zdeno Chara is as steady as they come;
on the flip side the Bruins get a top defensive prospect in Alex Edler and Marek Svatos, a player coming off a 30 goal campaign.
David Booth to the LA Kings for Sean Avery, 2nd round pick 2008.
David Booth isn't really a fit on the team, so the Blue Jackets move him to the Kings, where he can utilized in a top 6 role;
Sean Avery is a great fit on the fourth line with Chimera and Kesler, forming an ideal energy line.
By the 2006-07 season, this is how the Blue Jackets lineup looks like:
R.Nash-J.Spezza-R.Vrbata
P.Sharp-D.Briere-T.Ruutu
J.Hudler-T.Zajac-D.Backes
J.Chimera-R.Kesler-S.Avery
R.Suter-M.Zidlicky
Z.Chara-D.Wideman
M.Giordano-M.Green
C.Ward
T.Conklin
In the System: A.Radulov, F.Nielsen, D.Byfuglien, A.Edler, K.Letang, J.Ericsson, P.Rinne, T.Greiss
The Columbus Blue jackets have now put together a contending team that can contend to win the Stanley cup in a year or two.
This team isn't going to be scoring a whole lot but they will be sound defensively and really tough to play against.
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