CBJ vs. Detroit Red Wings

The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena in an NHL matchup between two Original Six-adjacent Midwest rivals separated by roughly a three-hour drive. The Red Wings carry one of hockey's richest histories, with multiple Stanley Cup championships and decades as one of the league's flagship franchises, while the Blue Jackets have built a newer but increasingly competitive identity in Columbus since entering the NHL in 2000, including a run of playoff appearances and a signature 2019 sweep of the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning. Nationwide Arena, located in the city's Arena District, has hosted Blue Jackets hockey since the team's first season. The geographic proximity of the two cities gives this matchup the feel of a regional rivalry game on top of standard divisional stakes.