Columbus Blue Jackets Name Dean Evason Head Coach

Monday, July 22, 2024 ,


The Columbus Blue Jackets have one huge piece of business taken care of this offseason, finally settling on a new head coach, naming Dean Evason as their bench boss going forward. 

Evason becomes the Blue Jackets' 4th coach in the last 15 months. Brad Larsen was fired in April 2023, then last year at this time, the team began an infamous head coaching drama when they brought in the controversial Mike Babcock, which they later admitted was a mistake, and fired him before he ever coached a single game in Columbus, replacing him suddenly with assistant Pascal Vincent, just days before the opening of training camp. 

The situation was naturally a troublesome one, that led to another disappointing season, and the relieving of Vincent of his duties. 

Evason's only NHL gig previously was a very successful one, with the Minnesota Wild, where he compiled a 147-77-27 record in 251 games over parts of five seasons. He finished top four in Coach of the Year voting twice, and led the Wild to playoff appearances in each of his four seasons there. 

“Dean Evason brings to coaching what he brought as a player – passion, hard work and tenacity – and I couldn’t be happier that he will serve as the next head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets,” said Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell. “He has spent well over two decades in this league as a player, assistant coach and head coach and I believe that experience, combined with the outstanding person he is, will allow Dean to get the best out of our players and put us in a position to succeed as a team.” 

The Wild struggled out of the gate this past season, and Evason was fired after a 5-10-4 start. But the Wild's loss is now the Blue Jackets' gain. 

Columbus went 27-43-12 record this past year under Vincent, and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

Photo: © Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports



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