Jay Laprete / AP

Columbus goalie Steve Mason won the Calder Trophy last season as the NHL's top rookie.

Stanley Cups: 0

2008-'09 record: 41-31-10, 92 points (4th in Central, 7th in West)

2008-'09 playoffs: Lost to Detroit Red Wings 4-0

General manager: Scott Howson (75-77-22, 3rd NHL year, 1st team)

Coach: Ken Hitchcock (482-308-121, 14th NHL year, 3rd team)

Captain: Rick Nash

Top returning scorer: LW Rick Nash (40 goals, 39 assists, 79 points)

Top returning goalie: Steve Mason (33-20-7, 2.29, .916)

Key additions: G Mathieu Garon; C Samuel Pahlsson; LW Pascal Pelletier; D Mathieu Roy; D Anton Stralman.

Key subtractions: D Aaron Rome; D Ole-Kristian Tollefsen; C Jason Williams; G Wade Dubielewicz; C Manny Malhotra; LW Mike York; D Christian Backman; C Chris Gratton; C Jiri Novotny; C Michael Peca.

Top line: LW Rick Nash, C Derick Brassard, RW Kristian Huselius. 

Top defensive pairing: Jan Hejda, Mike Commodore

Goaltending: Forced into breech by injury to Pascal Leclaire, Mason posted NHL-leading 10 shutouts en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. Appeared in 61 of Blue Jackets’ last 67 games. Exudes calmness for a guy barely into his 20s playing hockey’s most difficult position. Solid economical movements combined with size and technique make him difficult to beat with the first shot.

Player to watch: LW Nikita Filatov. Made seamless transition to North American game in terms of offensive skill, netting four goals in an eight-game stint with the big club. Fluid skater, can score with the best and is also an adept passer and playmaker, but needs to bulk up and work on his defensive game to become a force at the NHL level.

Icing: The stakes will now be raised in Columbus, where increased success is expected. Pahlsson will help Columbus in the offensive and defensive zones. He has reached the West finals four times and the Stanley Cup finals twice in six seasons. He had seven goals and 11 assists in 65 games last season with Anaheim and Chicago. Nash scored 40 goals and added a career high with 39 assists. He has been the team's top goal-scorer for five straight seasons.

Outlook: No longer the only NHL team never to make the playoffs, the Blue Jackets still remain the only NHL team never to win a playoff game. That should change this spring with the continued maturation of their young stars, especially Nash and Mason.

Prediction: 95 points (3rd in Central, 6th seed in West)

NHL TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS Teams listed in predicted order of finish; x-playoff team ATLANTIC x-Penguins x-Flyers x-Devils x-Rangers Islanders Vote: Winner? CENTRAL x-Red Wings x-Blackhawks x-Blue Jackets x-Blues Predators Vote: Winner? NORTHEAST x-Bruins x-Canadiens Sabres Maple Leafs Senators Vote: Winner? NORTHWEST x-Flames x-Canucks Oilers Wild Avalanche Vote: Winner? SOUTHEAST x-Capitals x-Hurricanes Thrashers Panthers Lightning Vote: Winner? PACIFIC x-Sharks x-Ducks Stars Kings Coyotes Vote: Winner?

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