Pascal Vincent is out as Columbus Blue Jackets’s head coach.
The Blue Jackets announced the coach’s firing on Monday afternoon.
TEAM UPDATE: The #CBJ announce coaching changes.
Full Release: https://t.co/BPOT7kiYII pic.twitter.com/cHU3rVUm9D
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) June 17, 2024
Vincent was forced into a tough spot ahead of the 2023-24 NHL season. Originally set to be an assistant, Vincent was promoted to the head coaching job after Mike Babcock resigned in mid-September amidst investigations into misconduct allegations.
After a 27-43-12 finish that saw Columbus sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference at the end of the year, Vincent was let go by the team’s new president of hockey operations and general manager, Don Waddell. Waddell, the former president and general manager of the Hurricanes, arrived in Columbus at the end of May, replacing the fired Jarmo Kekäläinen.
“As I spent time with Pascal over the past few weeks, I found him to be an outstanding person and smart hockey coach who worked very hard last year under trying circumstances, but I believe a change behind the bench is in our team’s best interest,” Waddell said in a statement. “On behalf of the organization I want to thank Pascal for his work ethic, professionalism, and contributions during his three seasons with the Blue Jackets.”
Vincent previously spent 10 seasons as a member of the Winnipeg Jets organization, including five as head coach of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose (2016-21). He was an assistant coach with the Jets under head coaches Claude Noel and Paul Maurice for five seasons (2011-16).
Columbus then hired him as an associate coach in 2021. He also holds 11 years of experience as a head coach with two teams in the QMJHL.
The Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs four consecutive seasons and have not finished higher than sixth in the Metropolitan Division in five years. The team has won just 1 seven-game playoff series in their 24-year existence.
Columbus is now the only team in the NHL with a head coaching vacancy. Hershey Bears head coach, Todd Nelson, who has the Bears in a second consecutive Calder Cup Finals run, has previous connections to Waddell.
Nelson spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers from 2008-10 and Waddell was the general manager of the team during both of those seasons. Nelson has recently stated that he’s had no NHL teams reach out to him yet this summer but this new opening could be his best chance to head an NHL team since he briefly led the Edmonton Oilers in 2014-15.
