The Columbus Blue Jackets are an American professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They play in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). [1] The team joined the NHL in 2000 as an expansion team. The Blue Jackets have played their home games at the Nationwide Arena since their inaugural season. [2] The franchise is owned by John P. McConnell and Jarmo Kekalainen is their general manager. [3] [4]
There have been 10 full-time head coaches for the Blue Jackets franchise. The team's first head coach was Dave King, who coached for three seasons. Ken Hitchcock coached the team to its first playoff appearance. Scott Arniel was the head coach of the Blue Jackets from 2010 through 2012. [5] Todd Richards was named interim head coach on January 9, 2012, and would remain with the team for more than 3½ seasons. [6] John Tortorella became the head coach on October 21, 2015, and left the team following the 2020–21 season with the Blue Jackets' highest winning percentage (.568). [7] Tortorella was replaced by Brad Larsen, [8] who served as head coach for two years before being fired at the conclusion of the 2022–23 season. [9] Mike Babcock was subsequently hired to replace Larsen; [10] however, Babcock resigned before coaching a game for Columbus, after allegations of improper behavior via the Spittin' Chiclets podcast led to an NHLPA investigation. [11] After Babcock's resignation, Pascal Vincent was subsequently named head coach. [11]
# | Number of coaches [a] |
GC | Games coached |
W | Wins = 2 points |
L | Losses = 0 points |
T | Ties = 1 point |
OT | Overtime/shootout losses = 1 point [b] |
PTS | Points |
Win% | Winning percentage |
* | Spent entire NHL head coaching career with the Blue Jackets |
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2022–23 season.
# | Name | Term [c] | Regular season | Playoffs | Achievements | Reference | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GC | W | L | T/OT | PTS | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | |||||
1 | Dave King | 2000–2003 | 204 | 64 | 106 | 34 | 162 | .397 | — | — | — | — | [12] | |
2 | Doug MacLean | 2003–2004 | 79 | 24 | 43 | 12 | 60 | .380 | — | — | — | — | [13] | |
3 | Gerard Gallant | 2004–2006 | 142 | 56 | 76 | 10 | 122 | .430 | — | — | — | — | [14] | |
— | Gary Agnew* | 2006 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | .100 | — | — | — | — | [15] | |
4 | Ken Hitchcock | 2006–2010 | 284 | 125 | 123 | 36 | 286 | .503 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | [16] | |
— | Claude Noel | 2010 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 26 | .542 | — | — | — | — | [17] | |
5 | Scott Arniel | 2010 – 2012 | 123 | 45 | 60 | 18 | 108 | .439 | — | — | — | — | [18] | |
6 | Todd Richards | 2012 – 2015 | 260 | 127 | 112 | 21 | 275 | .488 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | [19] | |
7 | John Tortorella | 2015–2021 | 447 | 227 | 166 | 54 | 508 | .568 | 31 | 13 | 18 | .419 | Won the 2016–17 Jack Adams Award | [20] |
8 | Brad Larsen | 2021–2023 | 164 | 62 | 86 | 16 | 140 | .429 | — | — | — | — | [21] | |
9 | Mike Babcock | 2023 [d] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | [22] | |
10 | Pascal Vincent | 2023–present | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, and began play as an expansion team in 2000.
Mike Babcock is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He spent parts of eighteen seasons as a professional and head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began as head coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, whom he led to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. In 2005, Babcock signed with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2008, and helping them to the Stanley Cup playoffs every year during his tenure, becoming the winningest coach in Red Wings history. In 2015, he left Detroit to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs, a position he held until he was fired in 2019. In 2023, he attempted a return to the NHL as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets; however, he resigned before the beginning of the 2023–24 season, without coaching a game, amidst investigations into allegations of misconduct.
John Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tortorella was previously the head coach of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vancouver Canucks. He led Tampa Bay to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship.
Michael Anthony Peca is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Peca served as the Washington Capitals player development coach and is currently an assistant coach for the New York Rangers.
Scott William Arniel is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Previously, he was the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets and associate coach of the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets.
Brad Larsen is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who most recently served as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Before coaching, he played in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche and the Atlanta Thrashers between 1998 and 2008. He is the former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Nikita Vasilyevich Filatov is a Russian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Prior to 2012, Filatov played in North America for the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Todd Michael Richards is an American ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current assistant coach of the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Pascal Vincent is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vincent was previously the head coach of the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2016 to 2021 and an assistant coach for the Winnipeg Jets from 2011 to 2016. Vincent was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Coach of the Year for the 2007–08 season, General Manager of the Year for the 2006–07 season, and the AHL's most outstanding coach award in 2017–18. In 2023, Vincent was named head coach of the Blue Jackets, after Mike Babcock resigned before the 2023–24 season.
The 2010–11 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the team's 11th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 25, 1997.
Boone Robbie Jenner is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The 2015–16 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the 16th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 25, 1997. Columbus hired head coach John Tortorella following the firing of Todd Richards, who started the season 0–8–0. The team began its regular season games on October 9, 2015 against the New York Rangers.