Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are the easternmost team located in the Western Conference, being only a three hour drive along Interstate 70 from the nearest Eastern Conference team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Preceded in Ohio's capital by the Columbus Chill of the ECHL and the state of Ohio in general by the Cleveland Barons, the Blue Jackets were founded as an expansion team in 2000.The team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2009.They had previously been the only active NHL team never to qualify.