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Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins is a huge day for the Columbus Blue Jackets organization. The hype surrounding this game has little to do with any on-ice reason despite the Bruins currently holding the first wildcard slot and the Jackets are still sniffing around the Eastern Conference playoff race as the first team out.
This game against Boston marks the first time the Blue Jackets will be retiring the jersey of a former player. They will be hanging number 61, worn by Rick Nash, in the rafters on Saturday night. Nash, the first overall draft pick in 2002 and the only Blue Jacket to be drafted first overall, is considered the first true star to play in Columbus and is credited with helping to introduce and stir up passion for the game of Hockey in the capitol city. Many different storylines will be discussed as fond memories of Nash's time playing for the Jackets are reminisced. However, due to all of the commotion surrounding the jersey retirement, a completely different but very compelling storyline will get largely overshadowed.
Saturday night is also the first time former captain Nick Foligno will be back in Nationwide Arena since being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs nearly a year ago.
Foligno was dealt to the Blue Jackets in the 2012 offseason, the same month Nash was sent out of Columbus in a trade to the New York Rangers. The former Ottawa Senator toiled diligently for three seasons until May of 2015 when he became the first captain for the Jackets since Nash. Foligno would remain the captain for nearly six full seasons, until his time in Columbus came to an end.
Foligno was originally brought to the Blue Jackets to help provide scoring relief for a team that was going to be in need of some due to the inevitable departure of Nash. Foligno scored more than 25 goals twice in his first five seasons in Columbus, including his incredible 2014-15 season where he finished with 73 points. However, as he aged, his veteran leadership in the locker room and on the ice, as well as the defensive side of his game, more and more became Foligno's strengths. These strengths led the Maple Leafs to give up a first and a fourth round pick to rent him for the rest of last season, a haul that was too big for Jarmo Kekalainen and the Blue Jackets to say no to.
All in all, the former Columbus captain played 599 games for the franchise, scoring 142 goals and adding 192 assists as well as 466 penalty minutes. He provided a steady hand and leadership to the club as well as many memorable moments such as when he scored the winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime to give Columbus its first ever home playoff win.
It will be a different experience for Jackets' fans to once again see Nick Foligno play at Nationwide Arena against Columbus. I'm sure it will also be a bittersweet experience for Foligno as he comes home to face the team that he gave everything for for almost a decade.
