Rick Nash's #61 will forever hang from the rafters at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets will retire Nash's jersey on Saturday, Mar. 5 against the Boston Bruins.
We here at 1st Ohio Battery thought it would be nice to relive one of Nash's greatest seasons in the NHL: the 2008-09 campaign.
Nash was 24 when the season began, and he had already made a name for himself. In 2007-08, he tallied 38-31-69 in 80 games as the Blue Jackets finished with 80 points. In the midst of that season, Nash was named the Blue Jackets' fifth captain in franchise history. He was a three-time All-Star, but the Blue Jackets were still chasing their first playoff berth in franchise history.
The season began with a bang...
Oct.10, 2008: "OT Winner"
In Dallas, the Blue Jackets got their season underway against the Stars in a back-and-forth battle. The two clubs were tied heading into overtime after the Blue Jackets conceded two goals late in the third period. Nash scored the game-winner at 4:39 to get the Blue Jackets two points and start off the campaign with a big away win.
Nov. 12, 2008 to Nov. 22, 2008: "The Streak"
Nash scored in five straight games during a period in November, notching one goal each against the Coyotes, Sabres, Wild, Oilers, and Thrashers as the Blue Jackets went 2-2-1 over that stretch. He also picked up three assists during his run.
Jan. 3, 2009: "Hey Now, You're An All-Star"
Some midseason honors were deserved on Nash's behalf after a first half of the season where he tallied 17-20-37 in 38 games. He was named a Western Conference All-Star, the fourth time that Nash was recognized among the league's best.
Jan. 27, 2009: "Hat Trick Hero"
Against a star-studded Red Wings team, Nash scored all three goals as the Blue Jackets took down Detroit in overtime, 3-2. He scored his first on the penalty kill as he intercepted a pass, created a breakaway, and beat Red Wings netminder Chris Osgood. Nash's second came on the power play, and his third came in overtime in the form of the game-winner. The win pushed the Blue Jackets' record to 23-20-5.
Mar. 7, 2009: "Unassisted Hat-Trick Hero"
It was another matchup with the Red Wings, and Nash lit them up again. This time, he etched his name in the NHL record books with an even rarer feat than a typical hat trick: an unassisted hat trick. As the Blue Jackets won 8-2, Nash scored a shorthanded goal in the second period, then two at even strength in the third. All of them were unassisted. Nash became the first player to notch an unassisted hat trick since Maurice "Rocket" Richard did so back in 1948.
Apr. 8, 2009: "At Long Last"
The Blue Jackets headed to Chicago in early April knowing that a win would put them into the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Blackhawks went up 2-0 after the first period thanks to goals from Brent Seabrook and Dave Bolland, but the Blue Jackets tied the game in the second courtesy of Jason Williams and Antoine Vermette.
Before the middle frame ended, Martin Havlat gave the Blackhawks the advantage once again.
In the third period, the Blue Jackets' captain stepped up–as he had all year. Jason Chimera found Nash alone in front of the net, and a nifty backhand finish beat Nikolai Khabibulin. The game went to a shootout, where rookie netminder Steve Mason stopped attempts from Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Dave Bolland to give the Blue Jackets the win. Fedor Tyutin notched the winner in the shootout.
Apr. 23, 2009: "Growing Pains"
The season series between the Blue Jackets and Red Wings was tied at three games apiece, but the playoffs were a different animal.
After three games, the Blue Jackets were staring down a 3-0 deficit against one of the best teams in the NHL, a roster that included Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Niklas Kronwall.
The Blue Jackets wouldn't go down without a fight in Game 4. Down 3-1 after the first period, they made a push. Nash scored his first of the series, then R.J. Umberger added a power-play goal. Hossa fired back with two goals of his own, but the Blue Jackets tied it up again via Kris Russell and Frederik Modin. A third-period goal from Johan Franzen would be the difference as the Red Wings swept the Blue Jackets. Detroit would go on to fall in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
Despite the playoff loss, the 2008-09 season gave Blue Jackets fans a sense of belief.
Unfortunately for Nash, the Blue Jackets never made the playoffs again during his time in Columbus. In July 2012, Nash and Steven Delisle were dealt to the New York Rangers in exchange for Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon, and the Rangers' first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. That move paved the way for the Blue Jackets' success in the 2010s at the expense of losing their captain and best player.
Now, Nash is back in Columbus where he belongs. He currently serves as the director of player development and is a beloved figure in the city where he began his NHL career.
