Are we any closer to a decision? It's been two weeks since the Columbus Blue Jackets were said to be nearing a decision for its next coach. Then talks with Todd McLellan broke down. Last week, it was reported by The Athletic's Aaron Portzline that the Columbus Blue Jackets were going to be having in-person conversations with both Dean Evason and Jay Woodcroft for the team's head coaching vacancy. As Portzline reported Sunday, Woodcroft met with the team last Tuesday and Evason talked with the team on Wednesday or Thursday.  Where things stand today remains anyone's best guess, a ..read more

The Blue Jackets (finally) have their man. Dean Evason was named head coach on Monday afternoon, ending a month-plus search to replace Pascal Vincent, who was fired by president and GM Don Waddell on June 17.  The 59-year-old Evason becomes Columbus' 11th full-time head coach in club history and fourth since John Tortorella left his post after the 2020-2021 season. He was one of three finalists for the position, a group that also included veteran NHL coaches Todd McLellan (formerly of Los Angeles, Edmonton and San Jose) and Jay Woodcroft (formerly of Edmonton). “Dean Evason brings to coac ..read more

Kent Johnson is still only 21 years old and will play in his third NHL season this year. The former top-five overall pick in 2021 made his NHL debut towards the end of the 2021-22 season where he registered three assists in nine games. In 2022-23, Johnson became just the third Blue Jackets rookie to score at least 40 points in a season, joining Pierre-Luc Dubois (48, 2017-18) and Zach Werenski (47, 2016-17). Overall, Johnson had 16 goals and 24 assists through 79 games and it looked like the young player was starting to arrive. Last season under first-year coach Pascal Vinc ..read more

It seems just like yesterday Kirill Marchenko was making his NHL debut for the Columbus Blue Jackets and setting franchise goal-scoring records. As we get closer to the 2024-25 season, Marchenko is preparing for his third season in the league. The 2023-24 season might have been a bit tougher for the 23-year-old Russian as he and the rest of his teammates played under a brand-new coach. Statistically speaking, Marchenko nearly doubled his rookie point totals. In 2022-23, Marchenko burst onto the scene with 25 points (21 goals, four assists) in 59 games. Last season, Marchenko scored 42 points ..read more

Jack Johnson's back. The Columbus Blue Jackets signed the 37-year-old defenseman for the NHL league minimum of $775,000 last Wednesday. Even after his Blue Jackets playing days ended, Johnson has continued living in Columbus. "This is my hometown," Johnson told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "This city means a lot to me. This is where I'm raising my family. This is where my wife's family is, too. It's special, for sure." An NHL veteran for 18 seasons and 1,187 games, Johnson has spent most of his career with the Blue Jackets, whom he played for seven seasons from 2011-18. Johnson started his ..read more

Don Waddell is in the big chair and soon, a new head coach will be behind the bench for the 2024-25 Columbus Blue Jackets. It's not going to be easy but will this upcoming season be the year we see positive growth translate into more wins for the Blue Jackets? Columbus has always been more successful with a veteran head coach, and as Waddell said himself, that's the direction they desire to look as they zero in on their next bench boss. Candidates linked to the job include Todd McLellan, Dean Evason, and Jay Woodcroft. #CBJ are moving along in their coaching search, but here's something ..read more

The Columbus Blue Jackets needed change and there has been a lot of it since the season ended. Since president and general manager Don Waddell came aboard in late May, the Columbus Blue Jackets have already undergone the beginning of a facelift. Pascal Vincent is out as head coach as the Blue Jackets look to have his replacement hired soon, possibly over the next week. #CBJ plan to have a head coach in place within a week. Told former Blues, Avs and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, reinstated by #NHL today and eligible to be hired as of July 10, is not a candidate. Columbus is currently t ..read more

Boom. The Columbus Blue Jackets upgraded at center Monday, signing free agent Sean Monahan to a five-year contract worth a total of $27.5 million. The average annual value is $5.5 million. Sean Monahan 5 x $5.5M Columbus — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2024 While primarily a center, the 30-year-old can also play either side of the wing and has proven to be a versatile commodity in his 11-year NHL career. Monahan spent the 2023-24 season with the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets, where he played in 83 regular season games and had a total of 26 goals and 33 assists. He won 55% of ..read more

The Don Waddell era is officially underway following his first draft as the new man in charge of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets came away with six players in the draft, including one forward, one goaltender, and four defensemen. The Athletic's Corey Pronman gave Columbus a B for their draft, and now that it's all in the books, here's a quick rundown of each player. 1. Cayden Lindstrom, Center Columbus got their guy with the fourth overall pick. Cayden Lindstrom, an 18-year-old center from Chetwynd, Canada, stands 6-foot-3, 214 lbs, and played his second full season for the WHL's M ..read more

Free agency. It's the wildest time of the offseason and it kicks off Monday. While the Columbus Blue Jackets are not expected to be major players in free agency this summer, they do have a few things going for them: — Money to spend — A talented, young core — Motivated management New President and General Manager Don Waddell said to expect as many as a half-dozen new faces on the roster come opening night, so it can safely be assumed that at least a couple of new names will join the club via free agency — even though Waddell is admittingly not a fan of it. "Not crazy about July ..read more