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Columbus Blue Jackets fire coach Pascal Vincent after one season
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- Columbus Blue Jackets fire coach Pascal Vincent after one season
The Blue Jackets fired coach Pascal Vincent on Monday after he ran the team's bench for one season.
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Blue Jackets president of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell announced the move with, "no further decisions regarding the club's coaching staff."
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The search for a new coach , who will be the 11th in franchise history and fourth in less than two years, has begun, the team said.
"As I spent time with Pascal over the past few weeks, I found him to be an outstanding person and smart hockey coach who worked very hard last year under trying circumstances, but I believe a change behind the bench is in our team's best interest," Waddell said in a statement. "On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Pascal for his work ethic, professionalism and contributions during his three seasons with the Blue Jackets."
Vincent declined comment.
Vincent ascended to the head coaching role three days before training camp last fall, prompted by the stunning resignation of Mike Babcock amid allegations of privacy violations related to cell phones during summer player meetings. The team's previous associate coach for two years under f ormer coach Brad Larsen , Vincent coached the Blue Jackets to a 27-43-12 record and a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
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They're slated to pick fourth at the NHL draft, which will be held June 28-29.
Vincent has one year remaining on his two-year contract. Vincent joined the Blue Jackets in 2021 from the Winnipeg Jets ' AHL affiliate (Manitoba Moose) and was Larsen's top assistant, working with forwards and directing a power play that struggled to gain traction during much of his tenure in that role. After rising to the head coaching spot, he kept defensive assistant Steve McCarthy, who has coordinated the Jackets' penalty kill the past three years, and hired assistant Mark Recchi to work with forwards and direct the power play.
Sept. 27, 2023; Columbus, Oh., USA; Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent speaks to players during practice at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday.
Former Blue Jackets forward Jared Boll (skills) and former director of pro scouting Josef Boumedienne are also part of the current coaching staff.
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Following the season, Vincent expressed his desire to keep his job. After spending most of the season's first couple months installing his preferred systems and defensive structure, the youth-oriented Blue Jackets began to show signs of growth before a rash of injuries combined with deals at the NHL deadline prompted a painful last six weeks.
"Do I want to be here? Yeah, I want to be here bad," Vincent said. "And getting to know the players, what they need, what we think we need as an organization, where they are at in their career, building those relationships, that's investment. And when you really care about something, you invest all of yourself. I didn't fall short of that. I invested everything I've got. And I am still going to do it until the day I am being told, 'No. Don't show up to the rink tomorrow.' Hopefully that comes in many, many years."
General manager Don Waddell is searching for a new coach while preparing for the NHL draft.
Waddell, who was hired by the Blue Jackets in late May , delivered that phrase Monday and threw open his top coaching role in the process. The new coach is expected to have the ability to hire his own staff once a decision is made, putting the Jackets' current staff in limbo.
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Considering how often they've explored the coaching market the past 14 months, the Blue Jackets' front office should have a good idea of who's available and what they offer — from up-and-comers to seasoned veterans.
Those with NHL experience include former Los Angeles Kings , Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan, former Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, former Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville, former Vancouver Canucks , Minnesota Wild , Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau and others.
Quenneville, who resigned from the Panthers in 2021 amid the Kyle Beach sexual assault coverup allegations in Chicago, would need approval from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to coach again in the league. After the black eye that Babcock's situation left in Columbus, his name isn't likely to be mentioned in connection to the Jackets' vacancy.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets fire coach Pascal Vincent
