VISIT BLUE JACKETS BUZZ TV
It's time to reveal the All-Time Best Columbus Blue Jackets team as voted by you the fans.
You may have noticed that you were only asked to vote for three players at each forward position and not four and four defensemen and not six. This was to leave open slots for me to add some players that may have slipped through the cracks due to time or non-Blue Jacket fans voting that may not of known the abilities of some of these players. I also figured the only reason you read my dribble is that you think that I must know at least as much about hockey and the Blue Jackets as you do or maybe just a touch more.
Anything you see in
italics is player selections by me and any players name in
bold are position changes.
1st Line
LW Rick Nash – C Sergei Fedorov – RW
David Vyborny
On the top line and you already see my own addition. David Vyborny not voted in as one of the best three right wingers in Blue Jackets history just shows how under-appreciated he was as a player. A lot of the offensive records that Rick Nash broke were Vyborny's. He was a quiet player that even painted his stick completely flat black which made it look like his kid made it in wood shop but the things he could do with the stick. Great passer, not good, but great. Had vision and just enough speed to get where he needed to go. He would go well on a line with the likes of Sergei Fedorov and Rick Nash.
Rick Nash won the fan voting with 91% of the vote and goes without saying that he is the best player in Blue Jackets history. The sad part is he could have been even better with better players around him and a consistent effort every night, he should be a 50 goal scorer already but isn't.
Columbus got Fedorov on the down hill part of his career but the thing that most impressed me about Fedorov was his mind and they way he thought through a game. It's what made it possible when the CBJ were depleted at defense that he went back and was probably the best blue liner they had when he played. To have seen him play up close 10 years earlier would have been a real treat.
2nd Line
LW Geoff Sanderson – C R.J. Umberger – RW
Ray Whitney
Geoff Sanderson is maybe my favorite player in Blue Jackets history. He could fly down the ice and then was able to put up 30 goal seasons. In the Blue Jackets first season of existence with a team misfits, should have beens and never were's; Sanderson put up 30 goals and 56 points in 68 games played. He was a joy to watch on the ice.
It's already getting tough to find centers on the all-time team but for a second line center, the Blue Jackets all-time team will need to make R.J. Umberger work. He's not a second line center in any single year but due to the lack of centers he's the best choice. Umberger is a heart and soul guy that just always finds a way to put up 20 plus goals every year. He's a very good face-off guy that is a leader on and off the ice.
I'm moving Ray Whitney over to the right side. He's a right handed shot and his nickname is “The Wizard,” shouldn't be a problem. One of the worst decisions the Doug MacLean ever made as a general manager (and that's saying a lot) was not to re-sign Whitney and the argument was over years not money. Whitney is still playing on a high level and MacLean does a poor job imitating a TV person in Canada. Whitney would have done wonders for Nash's career and the franchise's success if he would have been retained. Great passer and just that sixth sense to the game that most players don't have.
3rd Line
LW
Vaclav "Vinny" Prospal - C Antoine Vermette – RW Kristian Huselius
Hasn't taken long for Vinny Prospal to make an impression on the team and the fans in Columbus. Pure energy and passion for the game and oh by the way he can score too either by a goal or with setting the table. His personality is infectious and his effort on the ice also makes others around him play harder. Every team should want a Vinnie Prospal on their team.
Antoine Vermette is a perfect third line center. Probably not for this exercise but he is an elite face-off guy with very good defensive instincts. He'd also give you 20 goals a season and always was a favorite with the ladies.
Kristian Huselius is one of the best and arguably the best puck handler in Jackets history. A better shooter than most give him credit for or what he even thought has he was a pass first player. He also would turn over the puck at the most inopportune time but all in all he was a 20 goal and 60 point a year player.
4th Line
LW
Nikolai Zherdev - C
Andrew Cassels - RW Jakub Voracek
Nikolai Zherdev may be the most disappointing player that's ever been in Columbus. He had a skill set that was flat out elite and world class but due to his attitude, effort and disregard to play in any system a coach may put in place, let his skills mostly go to waste. All that said, he did have seasons of 26 and 27 goals in Columbus but everyone knows he could have been a 40 goal scorer if he would have put it all together.
Andrew Cassels could easily be higher in this lineup but I discounted him as one hit wonder as he just had one season where he put up 20 goals and 68 points. He was a very good center and as a Hartford Whaler put up 85 points. He could pivot this 4th line that could surprise people.
Jakub Voracek was the first draft selection of current GM Scott Howson. He was a fan favorite with his jovial personality and his flowing golden mane along with the promise of an elite player. Though the Blue Jacket fans won't see Voracek play in his prime, he was still good enough to be on this all time team.
Defense
Adam Foote
Jack Johnson
Rostislav Klesla
Fedor Tyutin
James Wisniewski
Jan Hejda
Adam Foote being the highest vote getter by Blue Jackets fans blows me away but he was and leads the pack of blue liners.
Jack Johnson may be the most influential trade that Howson has ever made and that includes the Nash trade. Johnson instantly became a leader on the team and a cornerstone to the team.
Rostislav Klesla was the first ever player drafted by the organization and holds the record for the most games played with the Jackets sweater on with 515.
Fedor Tyutin is a highly underrated defenseman that is a do it all blue liner. He can be played in any situation and has been the best defenseman on the Blue Jackets for years. Now it looks like he might finally getting some help as Howson has stock piled d-man.
James Wisniewski brings an attitude that had been sorely missing from the Blue Jackets. He wants to win period. Big shot and is a 50 point defenseman. Also has plenty of sandpaper in his game and will drop the gloves when needed.
Jan Hejda is the most underrated player in Blue Jackets history and maybe NHL history. He was a plus 43 in his first two seasons with the Blue Jackets and when paired with Mike Commodore made him a respectable defenseman. He didn't say much but was always there to shut down team's top offensive players.
2 Reserves
Jody Shelley (enforcer)
Darryl Sydor
Hockeybuzz wanted two reserves along with an enforcer. Is there any doubt who the all time enforcer is in Blue Jackets history is? Jody Shelley was tough as nails and was one of the most feared fighters in the league. He also was a team leader and the organization was surprised by the impact of his absence when they traded him to San Jose.
Darryl Sydor will make this squad as a reserve defenseman. To be honest I went off of what the next highest vote getter was as Sydor only played 49 games with the Jackets but had a more than a solid career overall.
Goalies
Ron Tugnutt
Pascal Leclaire
Ron Tugnutt was the first netminder in Columbus history and was an incredible goalie considering what was playing in front of him. He still holds the lowest goals against average in Blue Jackets history at 2.62. He is the right choice as the best goalie all time with the Blue Jackets
Pascal Leclaire's career went down the drain as his body continually let him down but when healthy he was a very good goalie. His .907 all time save percentage as a Blue Jacket is second all time behind Tugnutt. Still has the fastest legs in the crease that I have ever seen.
There it is as voted on by fans as well as my inputs. What is said is this team probably isn't as good as the New York Rangers are currently constructed.
More details will be coming out soon on what HockeyBuzz will be doing with the all time teams. So stay tuned and thanks for all the people that helped me out voting on this.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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