It’s been two weeks since the Columbus Blue Jackets were said to be close to deciding on their next head coach, and negotiations with Todd McLellan have fallen apart.
Last week, Aaron Portzlein of The Athletic reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets were planning to interview both Dean Evason and Jay Woodcroft about the team’s head coaching vacancy.
As Polzline reported Sunday, Woodcroft met with the team last Tuesday, while Evason spoke with the team on Wednesday or Thursday.
Where things stand now is anyone’s guess, but it will be interesting to see if the Blue Jackets first name their next head coach or go to salary arbitration with one of their players for the first time.
Both urgent issues are involved.
President and general manager Don Waddell doesn’t want to be without a coach by Aug. 1. Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson and Cole Schillinger remain unsigned. Only Marchenko is arbitration-eligible, and if an agreement isn’t reached between Marchenko and the team by July 31, his first arbitration hearing will be held that day.
Over the next week, we’ll likely hear more about the coaching search and whether a final decision has been made between Evason and Woodcroft, or maybe someone else will be selected.
So let’s take a closer look at the candidates we know about.
Evason coached the Minnesota Wild from 2019-2024 and reached the postseason in each of his first four seasons, though the Wild never made it past the first round.
Evason began his coaching career as an assistant coach in the WHL in 1998-99 before becoming head coach at that level the following season. He became an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals in 2005 before taking over as head coach with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, a position he held from 2012 to 2018. Evason joined the Wild as an assistant before becoming head coach during the 2019-20 season.
Evason also served as an assistant with Woodcroft on Canada’s World Championship team in May, alongside Rick Nash, who was general manager of the Canadian team.
Evason’s NHL head coaching career Regular season Postseason Team Year GWL OTL Points Rank WL Win percentage Result MIN 2019–20 12 8 4 0 16 6th in Central Division 1 3 .250 Lost in NHL qualifying round (VAN) MIN 2020–21 82 35 16 5 75 3rd in West Division 3 4 .429 Lost in conference quarterfinals (VGK) MIN 2021–22 82 48 25 7 113 2nd in Central Division 2 4 .333 Lost in conference quarterfinals (STL) MIN 2022–23 82 43 29 11 103 3rd in Central Division 2 4 .333 Lost in conference quarterfinals (DAL) MIN 2023–24 48 2516 4 14 Released — — — — Total 251 147 77 27 8 15 .348 4 Postseason Appearances
Woodcroft will be in Edmonton from 2021-2024, leading the Oilers to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, and like Evason, was fired after a tough start to last season.
Negotiations between McClellan and the Blue Jackets could resume, but the team may be even more attracted to Woodcroft as a Plan B due to his longstanding relationship with McClellan.
Woodcroft and McLellan both won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in the 2007-08 season under coach Mike Babcock.
McClellan was Babcock’s assistant and Woodcroft was the video coach.
When McClellan left to take the head coaching job with the San Jose Sharks in 2008-09, Woodcroft joined his staff as an assistant behind the bench.
The two would later reunite with the Oilers, with McClellan as head coach and Woodcroft as assistant coach, and Woodcroft also coached with AHL Bakersfield from 2018-2022.
Woodcroft’s NHL head coaching career Regular Season Postseason Team Year GWL OTL Points Ranking WL Win Rate Result EDM 2021-22 32 26 9 3 55 2nd in Pacific 8 8 .500 Lost in conference finals (COL) EDM 2022-23 82 50 23 9 109 2nd in Pacific 6 6 .500 Lost in semifinals (VGK) EDM 2023-24 13 3 9 1 7 Fired — — — — Total 133 79 41 13 14 14 .500 2 postseason appearances
Just sit in on interviews with candidates and listen to the conversations inside Blue Jackets headquarters.
It looks like it will ultimately come down to either Evason or Woodcroft, but until that’s decided, is the McClellan carrot still worth using?
With the Blue Jackets, no one knows.
Who is your favorite?
