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Columbus Blue Jackets' cannon heading to Ohio Stadium on Friday via... Cannon Drive
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- Columbus Blue Jackets' cannon heading to Ohio Stadium on Friday via... Cannon Drive
Columbus ' Cannon Drive will live up to its name.
The Civil War replica cannon inside Nationwide Arena will be transported to Ohio Stadium at noon on Friday for use in Saturday's 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series matchup between the Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings , traversing along Cannon Dr., for the final leg.
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According to a Blue Jackets release, the 1,500-pound cannon will be loaded onto a flatbed truck at noon. Fans who'd like to take photos can line the route, which will start on Nationwide Blvd. at the Front St. entrance, head up High St. to Woodruff Ave./Woody Hayes Dr. and then, fittingly, take Cannon Dr. to the stadium.
"The cannon is obviously pretty famous and well-known in Columbus (and) well-known throughout the NHL," said Steve Mayer, the NHL's president of content and events. "We realized right away, it's got to be a part of this."
Once in the stadium, the 1857 Napoleon-style replica cannon will be placed in front of the West stands. It will fire for the same reasons as it does at Nationwide Arena. The team's release said it will be fired after Blue Jackets goals and at the end of the game, if Columbus is victorious.
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The cannon also fires at the start of games at Nationwide Arena after the Blue Jackets are officially welcomed to the ice by the arena announcer.
While the cannon does use charges in its muzzle to create fire and smoke during blasts, the biggest boom is generated from above by a pyrotechnic crew located in the arena's scaffolding on the press box side of the ice. How it will work at Ohio Stadium is still a bit of a mystery, but Mayer told reporters that cannon blasts at "The Shoe" will be louder than at Nationwide Arena.
The cannon fires after Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko scored the game-winning goal during a 3-2 shootout victory over the Flyers on Jan. 14.
Once it arrives at OSU's famed "Horseshoe," the cannon will be rolled onto the field and placed on the West side of the stadium, not far from the outdoor rink built inside a large, red block 'O' platform in the middle of the field.
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The cannon, which was first introduced in 2007 at Nationwide Arena, has become an integral part of the Blue Jackets' tradition and marketing. The team's alternate home uniform features the cannon on the front, and the Stadium Series jerseys they'll wear Saturday include an even larger depiction on the front.
The idea for the cannon sprung from the team's nickname, which is rooted in Columbus' ties to the U.S. Civil War as a city where many of the Union army's blue coats were made. As for the cannon's design, it's a replica of the model that both sides leaned heavily upon during the war.
The Cannon Crew waves flags after a Blue Jackets' goal during a 2024 game at Nationwide Arena.
Since finding a home inside Nationwide Arena, it's become an iconic symbol for the Blue Jackets and something fans of all teams gravitate toward for photos during games. This will be its first outdoor use at a hockey game, and will provide the anticipated crowd of 90,000-plus an evening of booms they won't soon forget — as long as the Blue Jackets comply by scoring goals.
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Mayer said the plan following Blue Jackets' goals includes a loud cannon blast plus a crew of workers grabbing a large circular Buckeye leaf sticker and placing it on the North end of the field like the football helmet stickers that adorn the lids of OSU players.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: NHL outdoor game: Columbus Blue Jackets cannon moving to Ohio Stadium
