The 2012–13 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the 13th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 25, 1997. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to a lockout.

Despite a big improvement, the Blue Jackets failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, missing the playoffs by one point as a result of the tie-breaker disadvantage with the Minnesota Wild.

Off-season

Regular season On February 12, 2013, the Blue Jackets fired general manager Scott Howson after years of disappointing hockey in Columbus.Blue Jackets relieve Scott Howson of his duties as Executive Vice President and General Manager On February 13, Jarmo Kekäläinen was hired as his replacement.Blue Jackets name Jarmo Kekalainen General Manager With his hiring, Kekäläinen became the first European general manager in NHL history.BLUE JACKETS NAME KEKALAINEN THEIR NEW GENERAL MANAGER The team picked up steam after the change at general manager, going 20–10–5 to end the season just narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.

Standings

Schedule and results 2012–13 game log January: 2–5–1 (home: 1–2–1; road: 1–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record PtsRecap 1 January 19 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 Nashville Predators SO Bobrovsky 17,113 1–0–0 2 Recap 2 January 21 Detroit Red Wings 4–3 Columbus Blue Jackets SO Bobrovsky 19,206 1–0–1 3 Recap 3 January 23 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–5 Phoenix Coyotes — Mason 8,355 1–1–1 3 Recap 4 January 24 Columbus Blue Jackets 0–4 Colorado Avalanche — Bobrovsky 14,235 1–2–1 3 Recap 5 January 26 Chicago Blackhawks 4–2 Columbus Blue Jackets — Mason 18,381 1–3–1 3 Recap 6 January 28 Dallas Stars 1–2 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 10,475 2–3–1 5 Recap 7 January 29 Columbus Blue Jackets 2–3 Minnesota Wild — Mason 17,584 2–4–1 5 Recap 8 January 31 St. Louis Blues 4–1 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 11,155 2–5–1 5 Recap February: 3–7–2 (home: 2–2–2; road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record PtsRecap 9 February 2 Detroit Red Wings 2–4 Columbus Blue Jackets — Mason 17,612 3–5–1 7 Recap 10 February 5 Los Angeles Kings 4–2 Columbus Blue Jackets — Mason 11,019 3–6–1 7 Recap 11 February 7 Calgary Flames 4–3 Columbus Blue Jackets OT Bobrovsky 10,484 3–6–2 8 Recap 12 February 10 Edmonton Oilers 3–1 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 14,364 3–7–2 8 Recap 13 February 11 San Jose Sharks 2–6 Columbus Blue Jackets — Mason 10,837 4–7–2 10 Recap 14 February 15 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–2 Los Angeles Kings — Bobrovsky 18,118 4–8–2 10 Recap 15 February 16 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–5 Phoenix Coyotes — Mason 15,425 4–9–2 10 Recap 16 February 18 Columbus Blue Jackets 2–3 Anaheim Ducks — Bobrovsky 14,713 4–10–2 10 Recap 17 February 21 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 Detroit Red Wings — Bobrovsky 20,066 5–10–2 12 Recap 18 February 23 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–2 St. Louis Blues — Bobrovsky 19,457 5–11–2 12 Recap 19 February 24 Columbus Blue Jackets 0–1 Chicago Blackhawks — Mason 21,580 5–12–2 12 Recap 20 February 26 Dallas Stars 5–4 Columbus Blue Jackets OT Bobrovsky 11,523 5–12–3 13 Recap March: 10–2–4 (home: 8–0–2; road: 2–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record PtsRecap 21 March 1 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–4 Chicago Blackhawks OT Mason 21,828 5–12–4 14 Recap 22 March 3 Colorado Avalanche 1–2 Columbus Blue Jackets OT Bobrovsky 13,778 6–12–4 16 Recap 23 March 5 Edmonton Oilers 3–4 Columbus Blue Jackets SO Bobrovsky 14,952 7–12–4 18 Recap 24 March 7 Vancouver Canucks 1–2 Columbus Blue Jackets OT Bobrovsky 13,632 8–12–4 20 Recap 25 March 9 Detroit Red Wings 0–3 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 17,957 9–12–4 22 Recap 26 March 10 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 Detroit Red Wings SO Bobrovsky 20,066 10–12–4 24 Recap 27 March 12 Vancouver Canucks 2–1 Columbus Blue Jackets SO Bobrovsky 14,852 10–12–5 25 Recap 28 March 14 Chicago Blackhawks 2–1 Columbus Blue Jackets SO Bobrovsky 15,009 10–12–6 26 Recap 29 March 16 Phoenix Coyotes 0–1 Columbus Blue Jackets SO Bobrovsky 14,231 11–12–6 28 Recap 30 March 19 Nashville Predators 3–4 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 13,364 12–12–6 30 Recap 31 March 22 Calgary Flames 1–5 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 13,853 13–12–6 32 Recap 32 March 23 Columbus Blue Jackets 2–5 Nashville Predators — Bobrovsky 17,113 13–13–6 32 Recap 33 March 26 Columbus Blue Jackets 0–1 Vancouver Canucks SO Bobrovsky 18,910 13–13–7 33 Recap 34 March 28 Columbus Blue Jackets 4–6 Edmonton Oilers — Bobrovsky 16,839 13–14–7 33 Recap 35 March 29 Columbus Blue Jackets 6–4 Calgary Flames — Mason 19,289 14–14–7 35 Recap 36 March 31 Anaheim Ducks 1–2 Columbus Blue Jackets OT Bobrovsky 13,185 15–14–7 37 Recap April: 9–3–0 (home: 3–1–0; road: 6–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record PtsRecap 37 April 4 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–1 Nashville Predators — Bobrovsky 17,113 16–14–7 39 Recap 38 April 5 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–3 St. Louis Blues — Bobrovsky 19,224 16–15–7 39 Recap 39 April 7 Minnesota Wild 3–0 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 15,909 16–16–7 39 Recap 40 April 9 San Jose Sharks 0–4 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 17,771 17–16–7 41 Recap 41 April 12 St. Louis Blues 1–4 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 17,007 18–16–7 43 Recap 42 April 13 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 Minnesota Wild SO Bobrovsky 19,187 19–16–7 45 Recap 43 April 15 Columbus Blue Jackets 4–3 Colorado Avalanche OT Bobrovsky 13,694 20–16–7 47 Recap 44 April 17 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 Anaheim Ducks OT Bobrovsky 15,074 21–16–7 49 Recap 45 April 18 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–2 Los Angeles Kings — Bobrovsky 18,118 21–17–7 49 Recap 46 April 21 Columbus Blue Jackets 4–3 San Jose Sharks — Bobrovsky 17,562 22–17–7 51 Recap 47 April 25 Columbus Blue Jackets 3–1 Dallas Stars — Bobrovsky 16,918 23–17–7 53 Recap 48 April 27 Nashville Predators 1–3 Columbus Blue Jackets — Bobrovsky 19,002 24–17–7 55 Recap Legend:      = Win      = Loss      = OT/SO Loss

Player statistics Final stats Skaters

Regular season Player 48 12 18 30 3 32 46 13 14 27 7 10 48 4 18 22 9 28 29 2 18 20 2 76 44 5 14 19 −5 12 45 6 13 19 6 28 48 8 10 18 3 16 35 11 7 18 −6 12 35 9 9 18 9 4 ‡ 34 7 11 18 −2 16 42 9 7 16 −9 32 30 5 9 14 −1 15 40 5 7 12 −7 12 38 3 6 9 2 17 ‡ 24 3 6 9 −11 53 43 3 5 8 1 36 † 12 3 5 8 5 6 28 1 6 7 15 25 43 2 4 6 1 100 † 9 2 3 5 5 6 31 0 5 5 4 14 36 0 4 4 −8 16 27 1 1 2 1 17 11 1 0 1 −3 0 ‡ 17 0 1 1 −5 2 8 0 0 0 −2 4 2 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 −2 6 4 0 0 0 −3 0 2 0 0 0 −1 0 Totals 115 201 316 9 595

Goaltenders Regular season Player 38 37 2218:57 21 11 6 74 2.00 1084 0.932 4 0 0 0 ‡ 13 11 712:05 3 6 1 35 2.95 346 0.899 0 0 0 0 Totals 48 2931:02 24 17 7 109 2.23 1430 0.924 4 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Blue Jackets. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and records

Awards Regular season Player Award Awarded Sergei Bobrovsky Vezina Trophy June 15, 2013

Transactions The Blue Jackets have been involved in the following transactions during the 2012–13 season.

Trades

June 22, 2012Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky From Philadelphia Flyers In Exchange For Three Draft Picks To Philadelphia Flyers 2nd-round pick in 20124th-round pick in 20124th-round pick in 2013 To Columbus Blue Jackets Sergei Bobrovsky July 1, 2012Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Left Wing Nick Foligno From Ottawa Senators In Exchange For Defenseman Marc Methot To Ottawa Senators Marc Methot To Columbus Blue Jackets Nick Foligno July 23, 2012Dubinsky, Anisimov, Erixon, Pick Acquired From New York Rangers To New York Rangers Rick NashSteven DelisleConditional 3rd-round pick in 2013 To Columbus Blue Jackets Artem AnisimovBrandon DubinskyTim Erixon1st-round pick in 2013 March 10, 2013Blue Jackets acquire RW Spencer Machacek from Winnipeg Jets in exchange for RW Tomas Kubalik To Winnipeg Jets Tomas Kubalik To Columbus Blue Jackets Spencer Machacek March 12, 2013Blue Jackets acquire forward Matthew Ford from Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for future considerations To Philadelphia Flyers Future considerations To Columbus Blue Jackets Matthew Ford April 3, 2013Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire RW Marian Gaborik From the New York Rangers To New York Rangers Derick BrassardDerek DorsettJohn Moore6th-round pick in 2014 To Columbus Blue Jackets Marian GaborikSteven DelisleBlake Parlett April 3, 2013Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Goaltender Michael Leighton, Third Round Pick in 2015 NHL Draft In Exchange for Goaltender Steve Mason To Philadelphia Flyers Steve Mason To Columbus Blue Jackets Michael Leighton3rd-round pick in 2015 April 3, 2013Blue Jackets Acquire Forward Blake Comeau From Calgary in Exchange for Fifth Round Pick at 2013 NHL Entry Draft To Calgary Flames 5th-round pick in 2013 To Columbus Blue Jackets Blake Comeau April 3, 2013 To Pittsburgh Penguins Future considerations To Columbus Blue Jackets Patrick Killeen

Free agents signed Player Former team Contract terms Jonathan Audy-MarchessaultColumbus Blue Jackets Sign Left Wing Jonathan Audy-Marchessault Connecticut Whale 3 years, $2.775 million entry-level contract Adrian AucoinColumbus Blue Jackets, Defenseman Adrian Aucoin Agree To Terms On A One-Year Contract For 2012–13 Season Phoenix Coyotes 1 year, $2 million Ilari MelartBlue Jackets sign defenseman Ilari Melart to a one-year entry level contract HIFK 1 year, $925,000 entry-level contract

Free agents lost Player New team Contract terms Alexandre Giroux Dynamo Riga 2 years Curtis SanfordSanford off to KHL, goaltending market continues to thin out Lokomotiv Yaroslavl undisclosed Dane ByersOilers agree to terms with Dane Byers Edmonton Oilers 1 year, $560,000 Mark DekanichJets agree to terms with Ben Maxwell & Mark Dekanich Winnipeg Jets 1 year, $600,000 Aaron JohnsonBruins Sign Defenseman Aaron Johnson Boston Bruins 1 year, $650,000 Radek MartinekMartinek Agrees To One-Year Deal New York Islanders 1 year, $750,000

Claimed via waivers Player Former team Date claimed off waivers

Lost via waivers Player New team Date claimed off waivers

Lost via retirement Player

Player signings