Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent lost his job on Monday, according to what the organization announced.
Columbus recently named Don Waddell as president and CEO. The latter already seems to want to put the team in his image by making a drastic change within his staff.
Parachuted into a difficult environment in Columbus for his first season at the helm of an NHL team, Vincent posted a 27-43-12 regular season record.
An assistant with the team since 2021, Vincent was promoted to head coach at the start of last season following the firing of Mike Babcock.
“In spending time with Pascal over the last few weeks, I found him to be an exceptional person and an intelligent hockey coach who worked very hard last year under difficult circumstances, but I believe that a change behind the bench is in the best interest of our team,” new Blue Jackets president and general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “On behalf of the organization, I would like to thank Pascal for his work ethic, professionalism and contributions during his three seasons with the Blue Jackets. »
The name of Vincent’s successor with the Jackets has not been announced, but the team revealed in a press release that the search for a new head coach was already underway.
During his career, Vincent coached for 11 seasons in the QMJHL with Cape Breton (1998-2008) and Montreal (2008-11) before making the jump to the NHL as an assistant with the Winnipeg Jets for five seasons. , until 2016.
Vincent then took the helm. He subsequently managed the Jets’ farm club, the Manitoba Moose, in the AHL for five more seasons before moving to Columbus where he assisted Brad Larsen as an assistant.
