2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets season
| 2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets | |
|---|---|
| Division | 4th Central |
| Conference | 14th Western |
| 2003–04 record | 25–45–8–4 |
| Home record | 17–18–4–2 |
| Road record | 8–27–4–2 |
| Goals for | 177 |
| Goals against | 238 |
| Team information | |
| General Manager | Doug MacLean |
| Coach |
Doug MacLean (Oct-Jan) Gerard Gallant (Jan-Apr) |
| Captain | Luke Richardson |
| Arena | Nationwide Arena |
| Average attendance | 17,369 |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Rick Nash (41) |
| Assists | David Vyborny (31) |
| Points | Rich Nash (57) |
| Penalties in minutes | Jody Shelley (228) |
| Wins | Marc Denis (21) |
| Goals against average | Marc Denis (2.56) |
The 2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the Blue Jackets' fourth season in the NHL, as the team was coming off of a 29–42–8–3 record in the 2002–03 season, earning 69 points to finish in last place in the Western Conference for the second-straight year.
Columbus would undergo some changes during the off-season, as leading scorer and team captain Ray Whitney would leave to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. The Blue Jackets would name veteran defenceman Luke Richardson the third captain in franchise history.
The Blue Jackets would get off to a solid start in 2003–04, winning three of their first four games, though the club would eventually go on a seven-game losing streak to quickly fall out of playoff contention. Columbus would continue to struggle, and General Manager and Head Coach Doug MacLean announced on January 1, 2004, that he would step down from head coaching duties, naming Blue Jackets assistant coach and former NHL player Gerard Gallant as his replacement. Columbus posted a 9–21–4–3 record under MacLean. While the Blue Jackets would play better hockey with Gallant behind the bench, the team would fail once again to earn a playoff spot, as they finished the season with a 25–45–8–4 record for 62 points—seven fewer than the previous season—and finish 29 points the Nashville Predators for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Columbus, however, climbed out of the basement in the Central Division for the first time in franchise history after finishing ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks.
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