After a woeful season in the National Hockey League, the Columbus Blue Jackets have sacked head coach Brad Larsen along with goalie coach Manny Legace.
The target for the Blue Jackets this season was to secure their ticket back to the Stanley Cup Play-Offs after missing out in the previous two campaigns, and they went all out by signing forward Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year contract. Restricted free agent Patrik Laine then signed a four-year contract as their offense took shape, but it couldn't have gone much worse for the franchise.
The Blue Jackets finished the season with a 25-48-9 record, ending the campaign bottom of the Eastern Conference. Changes have been made as Larsen and Legace make way, with no clear replacements lined up.
"This season has been extremely disappointing and the responsibility for that lies with all of us," said general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. "These decisions were difficult and not made lightly given our respect for both Brad and Manny as coaches and people.
"Brad has been part of our organisation for more than a decade, and we are extremely thankful for his hard work and many contributions - both on and off the ice - during that time. We wish nothing but the best for Brad and his family in the future."
Larsen took over from John Tortorella in June 2021, after acting as his assistant for the previous seven seasons. The 45-year-old had a record of 62-86-16 in his previous two seasons as head coach, but a major slip in results led to his eventual departure.
Before moving to the Blue Jackets, Larsen coached Columbus' American Hockey League team in Springfield, and was given the call up following his positive impact at their neighbouring franchise. But the decision to sack Larsen had to be made by Kekalainen as they were 30th in the NHL with an average of 2.60 goals per game.
They were also 31st in the league after allowing an average of 4.09 goals per game. It was a lack of team effort that let the Blue Jackets down, as newly signed Gaudreau and Laine led the roster in points scored for the season.
Gaudreau was their top points scorer, finishing the campaign with 74 points (21 goals, 53 assists) in the 82 games, while Laine was behind him with 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists). The Blue Jackets now have a busy offseason on their hands, as they look to turn around the franchise once more.
