It was Evason’s first opportunity to introduce himself to the Columbus fans and the first real opportunity for many Blue Jackets fans to hear what he expects from the team both on and off the ice.
President of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell used the word “passion” multiple times while introducing Evason at a press conference on Tuesday.
That passion was on full display in the words of Evason, who shared some insight into what he expects from the club from the get-go.
Here are some key quotes from Evason’s preface:
“We’re never going to lose. When we walk into the building, or when teams walk into here, they know if they don’t try hard, they’re going to lose.”
Evason was the head coach of the Minnesota Wild in 251 games, winning 147 games in his three-plus seasons at the helm. He shot 63.9% from the field during his time with the Wild, averaging 105 points per 82-game season. The Wild exceeded expectations time and time again, proving that these words are not just those of a coach.
“Our team is going to play with great attention to detail and great organization, but we’re also going to give our players the opportunity to be creative. … We have to allow our players to make mistakes and still give them a chance to be successful.”
The Blue Jackets have lacked a consistent message in recent years and sometimes felt like their players were too afraid to make mistakes, so allowing players to make mistakes and being open about it will surely be a breath of fresh air for the many young players on the team.
“(The goal is) to have a team-first mentality and play hard for each other — not for me, not for Don (Waddell), but for each other.”
During his time with the Wild, Evason’s Minnesota teams were known as tough teams to face. They weren’t always the most talented, but back-to-back 100-point seasons (it would have been three in a row if 2021-22 had been a full 82-game season) don’t just happen. It happens when a team believes in what they’re doing and believes in the people around them. Leadership is part of it, and in his press conference, Evason made it clear that his team doesn’t have just one leader.
“Your hockey club doesn’t have one leader. We want to have multiple leaders.”
Evason said it doesn’t matter how long a player has been with the team or how old they are, when they put on a Blue Jackets jersey they are part of the team. It may seem simple, but it shows everyone is on an equal footing, a concept that didn’t exist last season.
“Each player has to help the other players succeed. That’s what we’ll instill in them. There won’t be any individual thought processes anymore.”
For a young team like the Blue Jackets, the extent to which players embrace a team-first mentality and help the players next to them become better players will be a big factor in Evason’s tenure.
If they fully invest in what has proven to be a successful NHL philosophy, Evason’s tenure in Columbus could be long.
