Who is Columbus’ new head coach? That’s what Aaron Portzline, the editor of The Athletic who closely follows the Blue Jackets, guesses in his latest article.
Jarmo Kekäläinen is looking for a new head coach for Columbus. Jussi Eskola
Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen fired the Sinitakkie head coach at the end of the regular season To Brad Larsen.
Larsen managed to pilot the Ohio team for two seasons. Last year, the team was 21st in the regular season. This season, the relegation was another ten steps down.
Next reporter from near Columbus Aaron Portzline ponders in his recent article, who might be the team’s new head coach. He brings up no less than 11 names: Andrew Brunette, Spencer Carbery, Sergei Fyodorov, Claude Julien, Peter Laviolette, Jay Leach, Trevor Letowski, Manny Malhotra, Joe Sacco, Mike Vellucci, Pascal Vincent.
Jukka Jalonen so it didn’t fit at all on Portzline’s long list.
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Claude Julien, 62, will be Canada’s coach at the upcoming World Cup. PDO
Julien and Laviolette are familiar players to everyone who follows the NHL. Brunette, on the other hand, led Florida to victory in the regular season last season, but hit a wall in the playoffs, and the man now works as an assistant coach for New Jersey.
Carbery (Toronto), Leach (Seattle), Letowski (Montreal), Malhotra (Toronto), Sacco (Boston), Vellucci (Pittsburgh) and Vincent (Columbus) are some of the more unknown names who have worked as assistant coaches in different NHL organizations this season.
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Peter Laviolette won the Stanley Cup in 2006. This season, the man piloted Washington. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
Joker card from Russia?
The most interesting name on Portzline’s list is probably the Russian hockey legend Fyodorov, 53, who has been influential in the Moscow ZSKA organization since 2022.
For the first five years Fyodorov was the club’s GM, the next four seasons went with the title “Senior Advisor“.
Since last season, Fyodorov has been the head coach of ZSKA. The opening season ended immediately with the victory of the Gagarin Cup – and the same can happen this season as well. The Moscow pump starts the final series against Kazan on Monday.
– He still has one year left on his contract in the KHL, and it is unclear if he wants to return to the NHL, Portzline writes.
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Sergei Fyodorov has made a strong impression at the helm of Moscow’s ZSKA. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
If ZSKA’s season ends with the championship again, seeking new challenges from the NHL would not necessarily be a huge surprise.
Fyodorov is a familiar man in Columbus, as he played there in the 2005-2008 seasons. The man is still best remembered from Detroit. The center won three Stanley Cups there.
Fyodorov was twice chosen as the NHL’s best defensive forward, but he also scored 1,179 (483+696) regular season points in 1,248 games on the offensive end.
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Andrew Brunette has been behind New Jersey’s bench this season as an assistant coach. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
Bedard tempts
An NHL club’s GM speculated anonymously in Portzline’s article that Columbus and Anaheim, the other tail-end team, will not choose a new head coach until May 8. after. At that time, it becomes clear which team gets to book first in the draft.
If the first draft pick goes to the Ducks (25.5 percent chance) or the Blue Jackets (13.5 percent chance), the list of coaching candidates will likely grow.
– Veteran coaches who don’t like to jump into a rebuilding club could seize the opportunity to coach by Connor Bedard such generational talent, Portzline writes.
You could also train in Columbus Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau artists like