The Jackets were on their way out I believe they couldn't sell tickets with Nash/Carter/Unburger and a decent core. So with Nash gone I think your going to see a lot of empty seats in The Nationwide Arena, here's a link to the point I am trying to make
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9076 ... ate/page/2Yes it's a bleacherreport.com link so take it with a grain of salt but I think The Jackets are a team that will not last. Canada is a hockey hotbed and teams like Quebec City, Markham (part of The Greater Toronto area), Hamilton (small town just outside Toronto), Kitchener and Waterloo and Saskatoon all come to mind on a potential new market. Lets face facts in the southern states hockey is the 8th sport or lower to get any coverage. It's football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR, collage football, high school football, collage and high school basketball then you might get the tail end of some hockey scores. I remember back when The Canes won The Stanley Cup people in Carolina did know they even had a team.
I am not trying to bash The Jackets or the city of Columbus at all I just think that hockey there right now is a lost cause.