2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets season

The 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the sixth National Hockey League season (fifth season of play) in Columbus, Ohio. The team's final position in the standings was hampered by a slow start that resulted from losing a number of key players, including goals leader Rick Nash, to injury. Once these players returned to the roster, the team had one of the strongest second halves in the NHL. Despite the strong finish, the Blue Jackets finished outside of the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. However, the strong finish did lead to raised expectations for the 2006–07 season.

Regular season
Prior to the start of the season the team announced Luke Richardson would remain team captain and Adam Foote, Rick Nash, and David Vyborny would serve as alternate captains on a rotating basis. Richardson resigned the captaincy after being a healthy scratch for Columbus’ November 25 game against the Colorado Avalanche. Foote was named the team’s new captain on December 6.

Schedule and results

 * Legend:
 * Legend:

Scoring

 * Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
 * † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only.
 * ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Blue Jackets only.

Transactions
The Blue Jackets were involved in the following transactions from February 17, 2005, the day after the 2004–05 NHL season was officially cancelled, through June 19, 2006, the day of the deciding game of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.

Draft picks
Columbus' picks at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario. The Blue Jackets picked sixth in odd rounds, 25th in even rounds.

Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are the Blue Jackets American Hockey League affiliate for the sixth season.

Dayton Bombers
The Dayton Bombers of the ECHL are also entering their sixth season as an affiliate of the Blue Jackets.