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NHL Rumors: Hockey journalist names two lead finalists for Columbus Blue Jackets’ vacant head coaching role
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ search for their next head coach appears to have narrowed to two names. According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, the race for the Blue Jackets’ head coaching gig is down to Jay Woodcroft and Dean Evason.
Veteran NHL reporter Jim Matheson tweeted the following update based on Portzline’s sources:
“Woodcroft and Evason are finalists for Blue Jackets coaching job after Waddell couldn’t work out contract terms with LA who still owe McLellan $5.5m. Jay interviewed for few vacant jobs.”
According to Portzline, it seems that the Columbus Blue Jackets had their hearts set on bringing McLellan in. However, contractual issues kept McLellan out of the running. It’s worth pointing out that McLellan has been linked to several jobs this offseason, including the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
As for Woodcroft and Evason, both have prior NHL head coaching experience. Woodcroft led the Oilers to a successful Conference Final appearance in 2022 before being fired at the beginning of last season following a poor start.
Meanwhile, Evason last coached the Minnesota Wild in parts of five seasons. In 251 games, he racked up a 147-77-27 record. However, he was unable to get the Wild past the first round. He was let go last season after a 5-10-4 start.
Both Woodcroft and Evason served as assistants under Andre Tourigny on Team Canada during the last World Championship in Czechia.
It remains unclear who the leading candidate could be. But with training camps less than two months away, there’s a sudden sense of urgency mounting on the Blue Jackets to name a new bench boss.
Could the Columbus Blue Jackets hire McLellan?
Portzline reported that the real reason why the Columbus Blue Jackets passed on Todd McLellan remains unclear. While it seems that a contractual issue may be the key, Portzline’s sources believe the Blue Jackets could still make a pitch to bring McLellan back into the fold.
The sticking point lies in the fact that the Kings still owe money on McLellan’s contract. The Kings owe McLellan $5.5 million for this upcoming season. As such, the Kings and Blue Jackets would need to agree on how much each team would have to pay to cover the outstanding salary.
Assuming the Blue Jackets pick up the $5.5 million tab, there should not be any obstacle for McLellan to join the Jackets. An experienced coach like McLellan is what GM Don Waddell seems to want for the young club.
McLellan is known for his old-school approach, preaching structure and defense-first hockey. As a result, McLellan could be the best fit for the Columbus Blue Jackets, especially with up-and-coming stars like Adam Fantilli in the mix.
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