Pity the poor Columbus Blue Jackets. Since the inception of the franchise in 1997, the team has been a model of mediocrity. In 15 seasons of play, the Blue Jackets have only qualified for the playoffs two times. In 2009, the Red Wings swept them in four games of the first round and in 2014 the Penguins took them out in the first round in six games. The club from central Ohio has not qualified for the playoffs since, finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference in 2015 and 15th in 2016.
The Blue Jackets floundered from the very beginning.