There were no guarantees longtime NHL general manager and Hall of Famer Craig Patrick would return to the league when he was fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006.

But that didn’t stop Patrick, 65, from considering himself to be a man who was simply between jobs during the ensuing years.

“The urge to come back has always been there,” Patrick said. “For the last three years, I really wanted to get back in. Very few teams have such opportunities for experienced people to come in and help out.”

The Blue Jackets welcomed Patrick back to the NHL yesterday when they hired him to the new position of senior adviser of hockey operations.

Patrick, a former general manager of the Penguins (1989-2006) and New York Rangers (1981-1986) will serve as “a sounding board for our hockey operations,” general manager Scott Howson said.

“He is someone who can take some time to focus in on a certain player we might be looking at. He adds to our pool of advice. The more qualified people you have, the better your organization is going to be.”

The Blue Jackets have long been considered to be a team that has operated with a slim hockey operations staff. Patrick adds some heft. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and one of the most prominent hockey families in North America.

The Detroit native played eight seasons in the NHL before retiring in 1979. He was named to the staff of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal with coach Herb Brooks in the “Miracle on Ice.”

Patrick was hired by the Rangers as operations director in 1980 and was promoted to general manager the following year. He also served as the Rangers coach for parts of two seasons before being replaced as general manager by Phil Esposito in 1986.

Patrick’s most productive years were with Pittsburgh, where he won a pair of Stanley Cups (1991, ’92) and drafted standouts such as Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby.

He also made what Sports Illustrated called the “worst trade in NHL history” in 1996 when he shipped Penguins scoring wizard Markus Naslund (869 career points) to Vancouver for Alex Stojanov, who scored two goals before he was released.

Patrick also coached the Penguins for parts of two seasons.

He was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. Patrick’s father, Lynn, grandfather, Frank, and uncle, Lester, are also members.

“I’ve been out (of the NHL) since April ’06 but I’ve been paying attention because that is what hockey guys do,” Patrick said. “I’ve been trying to get back in the game for a while, and I’m just thrilled Scott gave me the opportunity to help this organization out.”

The Blue Jackets will begin a crucial five-game homestand tonight against the Nashville Predators, but Patrick was on his way to Springfield, Mass., to catch up with the minor-league Falcons when reached by phone last night.

Patrick will help Howson and the Blue Jackets evaluate draft picks, free-agent signings, trades and prospects within the system playing at the minor-league, junior and collegiate level.

“The feeling I get from Scott and his staff is I’m going to have opportunities to go work in every aspect of the organization,” Patrick said. “See prospects, watch the minor team, watch the major team. Any way I can help and improve the situation, that’s my role.”

Patrick said he will keep his full-time residence in Pittsburgh but work in Columbus and wherever else he is needed.

“Any time you can add someone of his stature, you have to consider it,” Howson said. “I talked to him about the job three weeks ago. He came to Columbus and had lunch. I made him an offer last week, and we had a done deal by the end of the weekend. It came together pretty quick.”

Sources told The Dispatch that Howson has had approval to make such a hire since 2007 but only Patrick fit the bill.

The Blue Jackets had a pick in the top eight of 10 of their first 11 drafts but selected only one All-Star, captain Rick Nash.

The team fired longtime amateur scouting head Don Boyd and pro scouting director Bob Strumm in June.

smitchell@dispatch.com