The Draft

The Blue Jackets made Czech defenseman Rostislav Klesla their first entry draft selection (fourth overall. Klesla had 16 goals, 29 assists and 174 penalty minutes in just 67 games with Brampton of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OHL).

After selecting Klesla and forward Ben Knopp (69th overall) on Saturday, the club began Sunday with three picks in the fifth round - Finnish defenseman Petteri Nummelin from HC Davos (Switzerland), Sarnia Sting (Ontario Hockey League), and defenseman Scott Heffernan. Later, with the 150th pick overall, the Blue Jackets chose center Tyler Kolarik from Deerfield (Massachusetts) Academy.

Over the next three rounds, the Blue Jackets picked goaltender Shane Bendera of Red Deer (wetsern Hockey League) in the sixth round (169th), Finnish left wing Janne Jokila in the seventh round (200th) and Zingoni in the eighth round (231st).

In the ninth round, Columbus selected Czech Republic forward Martin Paroulek of Vsetin HC with a pick (278th) obtained from the San Jose Sharks. The Blue Jackets then chose Slovakian center Andrej Nedorost with the 286th pick.

The club made one final transaction, taking Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) defenseman Louis Mandeville with the 292nd pick acquired from Detroit for a ninth round pick in 2002.

The breakdown, then, is: 4th overall - Rostislav Klesla, D (Brampton/OHL); 69th - Ben Knopp, RW (Moose Jaw/WHL); 133rd – Petteri Nummelin, D (HC Davos/Switz.); 138th – Scott Heffernan, D (Sarnia/OHL); 150th – Tyler Kolarik, C (Deerfield Academy/USHSE); 169th – Shane Bendera, G (Red Deer/WHL); 200th – Janne Jokila, LW (TPS/Finnish Jr.); 231st – Peter Zingoni, C (New England Junior Coyotes/Eastern Jr. Hockey League); 278th – Martin Paroulek, FWD (Vsetin HC/Czech Elite); 286th – Andrej Nedorost, LW (Germany); 292nd – Louis Mandeville, D (Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL).

“We feel that every player we took has a chance to play in the NHL and that’s what you hope for at the amateur draft,” said Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean. “Overall, we are very pleased with the first draft in the history of the organization.”

Naming The Blue Jackets

According to team officials, the name Blue Jackets recognizes the contributions by Ohio and the city of Columbus to the Union Army during the Civil War. The state of Ohio made the largest contribution of its population to the Union Army than any other state in the union. The Blue Coats of the Union Army were manufactured in Columbus.

The Capital Blue in the Blue Jackets uniform is similar to the Blue Coats. The blue conveys stability and tradition. The red conveys pride. There are white stars on the end of the sleeves wrapped with a red ribbon. The stars signify patriotism.

The team’s primary and secondary logos tie this theme of tradition and history to the modern day.

The CBJ ligature features a star-studded red ribbon unfurled in the shape of the team’s initials, CBJ, with a lime green hockey stick cutting through the center to represent the “J”. The 13 stars represent the original Union. The star on top of the stick signifies Columbus as the state capital.

The team’s mascot, Stinger, sports a blue civil war cap, bulging red eyes and lime green beak. Stinger embodies the personality and attitude of the team. Stinger gives the team its flair.