Both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild exceeded expectations during their first seasons in the NHL. But while the Wild relied on a defensive system to win games, the Blue Jackets, intent on selling hockey to Columbus, played a more open style and threw more ice time at players who weren't given much opportunity in other organizations. The result: Nine players recorded career highs in offensive categories and an average of 17,452 fans per game.

But can the Blue Jackets' succeess and popularity continue in 2001-02?

	2000-01 by the numbers
	Record: 28-39-9-6, 71 points (T22nd overall, T12th West, T4th Central) Man-games lost to injury: 183 (18th) Goals for: 190/2.32 (26th) Goals against: 233/2.84 (19th) Differential: -43 (25th overall) 20-goal scorers: Geoff Sanderson (30) 50-point scorers: Sanderson (56), Espen Knutsen (52)

Looking at next season
Despite finishing the season with a better record than six older teams, the Blue Jackets still have the luxury of patience - to a point. Next season is still about developing their young players, although general manger Doug MacLean indicated that winning isn't far down the list of things to do. After all, the novelty of the NHL in Columbus is bound to wear off and winning is the best way to keep fans.

Back in April, MacLean said he wanted to add a No. 2 center who could play with Ray Whitney, who was acquired from Florida at the trade deadline. He found what could be a perfect fit in Mike Sillinger, a teammate of Whitney's in Florida. Sillinger, who signed a three-year, $5.25 million deal, finished third in the league in faceoff winning percentage (60.33) last season.

Unless negotiations with restricted free agent and leading scorer Geoff Sanderson break down, it's unlikely MacLean will make any more major moves on offense. As an expansion team, the Blue Jackets don't have much to trade with, don't have enough talent to surround a high-end player and have no desire to increase their budget sooner than they have to.

Sillinger and Whitney give the Blue Jackets the center and left side of two solid lines and bridge the offensive gap between the other duo -- Espen Knutsen and Sanderson - and the rest of the team. David Vyborny is expected to play the right side on Whitney's line, while Robert Kron, who broke his ankle in late March, will likely make a return engagement alongside Knutsen.

MacLean has told reporters he expects forward Chris Nielsen, who had four goals and five assists in 29 NHL games and posted 10-11-21 in 47 in the American Hockey League, to make the team next season.

The status of right winger Kevin Dineen is still up in the air. Dineen, 38, completely tore the ACL in his knee on April 3 and underwent reconstructive surgery. If Dineen doesn't return, the Blue Jackets have added two-way forward Blake Sloan, who they claimed off waivers from Dallas, and Sean Pronger, another waiver acquisition who can play all three forward positions.

Overall, the Blue Jackets are pleased with their defense, which finished 19th in the league in goals allowed. Jamie Pushor is headed for salary arbitration, guaranteeing his presence in training camp. Deron Quint and Mattias Timander decided not to file for arbitration, however, both are expected to agree to small pay raises. Both Rostislav Klesla and Radim Bicanek, who was an all-star in the American Hockey League last season, are expected to stay with Columbus next season.

If the Blue Jackets are pleased about their defense, they should be downright giddy about their goaltending. Ron Tugnutt, who was so popular he was touted as a presidential candidate, broke the record for wins by an expansion team goaltender in the last game of the season with his 22nd. He also posted the third-best goals-against average (2.44) and second-best save percentage (.917) of his 13-year career. With Tugnutt as the No. 1 goalie, Marc Denis can continue to develop into an NHL netminder.

By adding Whitney and Sillinger, the Blue Jackets have more than compensated for the loss of Steve Heinze, who scored 22 goals and added 22 assists before he was traded at the deadline. If the defense can maintain the status quo and Tugnutt can turn in a repeat performance, the Blue Jackets still may not be a playoff team, but they'll be shedding the expansion tag sooner rather than later.

Sherry Skalko is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.