The Columbus Blue Jackets, who play in the NHL, have fired their head coach To Brad Larsen. Larsen, 45, managed to pilot the Blue Jackets for two seasons and would have had next season left on his contract.
– This season has been a very big disappointment, and the responsibility lies with all of us, the Finnish GM of the club Jarmo Kekäläinen said on Saturday On the Blue Jackets website (you will be transferred to another service).
Columbus also said that the goalie coach did not Manny Legacy renew the contract.
– These decisions were difficult and were not made lightly because we respect both Brad and Manny as coaches and people. Brad has been part of our organization for over a decade, and we are very grateful for his hard work and contribution both on and off the ice, Kekäläinen continued.
The Blue Jackets’ season ended in the regular season of the NHL. Only the Anaheim Ducks collected fewer points than the Blue Jackets in the regular season.
At the end of the season, Columbus “clinched” another jumbo spot when it took a 3-2 overtime victory over Pittsburgh. Consequently, it was left without the best “lottery ticket” for the upcoming booking event. The lowest placed team in the NHL reserve lottery has the best chance for the first reserve round. Top talent is available at this summer’s booking event Connor Bedard.
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Finns play in the Blue Jackets Patrick Laine, Joona Luoto and Mikael Wipes. However, Luoto played only seven NHL games during the season and most of the season was spent in the AHL. Pyyhtiä returned to TPS on loan in the fall, but now had two NHL games in his account at the end of the season.
More than a decade
Larsen arrived in Columbus as an assistant coach already in 2014. Before that, he coached Columbus’ AHL team Springfield Falcons from 2012 to 2014.
After seven seasons as an assistant coach, Larsen became head coach in the summer of 2021 by John Tortorella in place of.
Larsen, 45, coached Columbus in 164 games. The winning percentage was 42.7.
Columbus has reached the playoffs four times: 2009, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Only in 2019 did the team advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Luuta has also swept the NHL after the regular season ended. Head coach of Jumbo-Anaheim Dallas Eakins also got fired. In addition, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who missed the regular season for the first time since 2006, fired their GM by Ron Hextall and the puck operations boss By Brian Burke.