The Columbus Blue Jackets open their 24th season at Nationwide Arena with three games in five nights. It all gets started on Tuesday, October 15 with a date vs. the the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Whether you're headed there this week or later in the season, check out our fan guide to find parking spots, pre-game dinner options and post-game hangouts. Here's a quick look what's coming this week, this season and what to expect at a game.
Opening Week Slate
October 15 vs. Florida Panthers
October 17 vs. Buffalo Sabres
October 19 vs. Minnesota Wild
Special Touches on Opening Night
On opening night, the Blue Jackets will honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with a pre-game video starting at 7 p.m. The puck will drop for the first time on home ice at 7:13 p.m. Before the game, both the Panthers and Jackets will wear Gaudreau #13 jerseys which will then be auctioned off online. Read more about that and other ways the team is raising funds for the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
Party on the Plaza
On Thursday, October 17, starting at 3:30 p.m., get to Battelle Plaza early for the CBJ Plaza Party. Face painting and balloon artists for kids, a DJ, concessions and games for everyone. No ticket is necessary to attend. The players will walk the blue carpet on their way into the arena between 4 - 5 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and a traditional opening night ceremony starts at 7 p.m.
Saturday Night Hockey
Rounding out opening week, the Jackets host a kids party on the Front Street Plaza starting at 3:30 pm. Face painting and balloon artists will be back along with other fun family activities.
Early Season Home Games
There are several more home games later this month into early November. On Nov. 22, the Maple Leafs visit the arena. Auston Matthews is one of nine players ever - and the only one active - to have multiple 60-goal seasons.
On November 28, CBJ host the Edmonton Oilers. The Stanley Cup runners-up are led by Connor McDavid, coming off a 132-point season where he joined Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux Bobby Orr and Nikita Kucherov as the only players with 100 assists in a single season.
Later that week, the New York Islanders travel to Columbus on October 30 before the Winnipeg Jets touch down on November 1.
Faceoff: Inside the NHL
Amazon Prime went deep behind the scenes last season to create Facoff: Inside the NHL. The six-episode series is streaming now with a Prime membership. Watch the trailer here.
Jesse Ghiorzi is the director of marketing at the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. He’s married to a wonderful woman named Chelsi, father of a dope daughter named Cecilia and frequent walker of a dog named Mia. He likes to travel to new places, drink bourbon and watch sports. Sometimes all three at once.
