Locker room renovation shows CBJ's commitment to winning

Simply put, it was just time.
As the Blue Jackets entered this offseason, it became clear that the opportunity was there to do more to the team's locker room than just slap on a new coat of paint or replace some carpet.
Despite some tweaks and improvements over the years, the room was essentially the same as it was when the arena opened. While it was cozy and had most of the amenities that NHL players need to get ready to play games, the wow factor was no more.

And with a new coach and a ton of new players on the way, it also made sense that this summer was the time to continue the theme to more than just the playing roster. Upgrading the dressing room area was among the topics of discussion in meetings between management and player leadership at the end of last season, and the club's commitment resulted in planning and execution that would normally take a year was crammed into four hectic months.

The result, though, is impressive. From a completely renovated locker room that boasts a bevy of player-friendly new features to state-of-the-art recovery tools that will help players stay at their peak performance, the reviews have been uniformly positive among the players who have begun to use it on a day-to-day basis.
"They've done an awesome job with it," new alternate captain Zach Werenski said. "It's really cool. I think it's awesome that they're putting the time in and investing in the players. It's everything you need, and that's very important for our bodies to make sure we're 100 percent."
That's likely music to the ears of the group that helped plan the renovations, including the team's hockey operations staff led by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen as well as CBJ Arena Management.
"We wanted this to be amazing," said Derek Smith, associate general manager of CBJAM and one of the key driving forces behind the design. "We want players to talk about it. It's a driving force. People spend a lot of time in there. We wanted it to be unique, with amazing features and function. And I think we achieved it."
After all, it just makes sense. Millions of dollars are invested in player salaries alone each season, so making sure they have the most resources possible to stay at the top of their games is crucial. Adding in a few creature comforts is also a no-brainer when it comes to team morale and positioning the team on the free agent market.

Just ask Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets director of player development who was part of the discussions on the new room. While he's known most for his time in Columbus, Nash also played for Original Six franchises in Boston and New York in his 15-year career, meaning he experienced a couple of different situations around the league.
That time helped him understand the importance of providing players with all the tools they need to get the job done.
"It's the best league in the world, and you're investing $750,000 to $12 million in these NHL players," Nash said. "They deserve the best room, the best technology. I always go by, you want to leave them no excuse once they step on the ice, and this falls into that motto. With the room, the weight room, the meals, the training facilities, the rehabilitation, doing maintenance on your body, hot tub, cold tub, sauna - whatever it is, there's no excuse when these guys step on the ice."

Many New Features

The first thing that stands out when you enter the room is that the familiar brick features and wood paneling are a thing of the past. Much of the brick has been painted white to keep a consistent theme between all parts of the room, while the wooden features that marked the old room are nowhere to be found.
When you start in the locker room, it's hard not to notice just how modernized the look has become, and that's even before you look up. What had been an 11-foot ceiling has been raised to 15 feet, and in the middle of the room is a center-hung, four-screen video panel that brings to mind a Jumbotron you'd see in the bowl of an arena.
As the Blue Jackets brain trust wrestled with ways to make the room unique, Smith was the one who came up the design element that certainly stands out.
"I was tasked with trying to make it stand out, and that was the idea that came to mind," Smith said. "I think it's different than any locker room that you will see in professional sports."
The lockers themselves are laid out in a similar fashion as the previous room, and there are still 26 permanent stalls just as there had been since day one. But color-changing accent lighting has been added, the lockers themselves are made of more durable materials than the old wooden lockers, and ribbon boards have been installed above each locker to add a personal touch for each player.
In addition, player input was included, resulting some new simple but functional additions to the room. First, a refrigerator has been installed in the locker room, making it easier for players to refuel during intermissions, while a tape rack has been incorporated in the back of the room at the request of goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.
"It was about understanding player needs and player wants," Smith said. "For example, we added a refrigerator in there. The guys would come in during intermission and would have to walk into the lounge, get a drink and come back. They're tired. Let's maximize that time off. Let's just put a refrigerator in there.
"In the back, there was no place for tape, so (Merzlikins) would have to go to the front of the room to get tape, so we implemented shelving in the back where we could put tape and supplies so guys would have two different areas to get stuff. It's something that can really save time, save effort and allow players to maximize their focus on what is most important."
The other area that has been completely renovated is the shower/recovery area just outside the locker room, where two new plunge pools were added for rehab and maintenance purposes. On a recent tour, one tub was set at 50 degrees and the other at 104.1, with players able to use whichever is necessarily to feel 100 percent.
"Things like the therapy pools, I think those were an important part of the improvements," Kekalainen said. "It's important for the athlete to have those kinds of tools at their disposal."

The plunge pools also come equipped with big-screen TVs next to them, so players can stay entertained. In fact, the entire A/V function of the room and the player area was redone, with a 110-decibel sound system installed and television hookups that can easily toggle between showing NHL Network and game tape.
Add in renovations to the team sauna, restroom area, shower area and a brand-new grooming area with storage for each individual player, and the Blue Jackets have everything they need.

More to Come

The work is far from finished, though. Next summer, phase two of the renovations will include a new look for the team lounge as well as the weight room and training room. The timeline was simply too short this summer to get everything done, as plans were drawn up in early summer, demolition began in late June and work continued all the way into training camp, with a few final touches completed during the early days of the regular season.
"I think it's coming together great," Kekalainen said. "What's exciting is this is just phase one. There's going to be another phase and it'll be even more exciting, but this came out even better than I expected. I think it's going to be real impressive when it's done.
"Most importantly, I think it's important that the players feel comfortable. They spend so much time there every day. It's their locker room."
The general manager has to be excited, then, that so far the reviews from the most important critics have been pretty good.
"It's super nice," alternate captain Oliver Bjorkstrand said. "I think once it's all done, we're going to have a really good setup here. They realized it was time to make upgrades. As an organization, you want to make sure that guys come in and feel good about being in the arena and like coming with the amenities and so on. That's what they are doing, and I think that stuff helps out a lot."
Added Patrik Laine: "It makes it more comfortable that the locker room is really nice and guys are enjoying hanging out in there. Obviously ownership and management, they have done a great job with the designs and renovation, so that's one more exciting part about this season."
From every angle, getting the project done was a key piece of the Blue Jackets offseason, one that will have impacts for years to come. It's yet another sign that the organization is committing to winning and doing things the right way.
"It was just about coming up to the times as other NHL clubs are doing it," Nash said. "I'll tell you one thing, the Blue Jackets will do anything it takes to get that edge, and it's been impressive to go through this process."