Welcome to the end of April. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are well underway for some. For everyone else including the Columbus Blue Jackets, their offseason is underway.
For GM Don Waddell and staff, they have a lot to figure out over the course of the next few months. They have a handful of players they need to make a decision on. They have others who need a new contract.
On Friday, the Blue Jackets made significant news by announcing changes in their coaching staff. That’s where we’ll start today’s News & Rumors.
Three Coaches Will Not Return
The Blue Jackets announced that assistant coaches Scott Ford and Mike Haviland won’t be back with the team in 2026-27. Their contracts were up. In addition, video coach Aron Augustitus will not return to the team.
Here’s Waddell on these decisions:
“Following our end of season meetings, Rick and I determined that changes to our coaching staff would be in the best interest of our club moving forward. We are very appreciative of the time and hard work that Mike, Scott and Aron have done during their time with the Blue Jackets and wish them well in their future endeavors. We will begin the process of reviewing candidates to join our staff in the very near future.”
With Rick Bowness agreeing to next season with the Blue Jackets, the fact that there were changes come as no surprise. Ford and Haviland were part of Dean Evason’s staff. Bowness will now get the chance to put his own mark on the team by bringing in his people.
One name to watch out for here. Current Cleveland Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber. While he wouldn’t discuss his future on Friday after their Game 1 win, it makes perfect sense to believe he has a future on the Blue Jackets’ staff.
Vogelhuber has been with the organization both as a player with the Monsters and now their head coach. He’s taken them to multiple playoffs including a trip to the Eastern Conference Final a couple seasons back. The Blue Jackets love the work he’s done. He also has familiarity with the players he’s coached, some of which could find themselves competing for a spot in the NHL at training camp.
Coaching succession plans have become more common in the NHL. With Bowness only committed to next season so far, it would make sense for the Blue Jackets to have something in mind in case Bowness decides next season is it.
The one thing Vogelhuber does not have is NHL experience. If he got the chance to work under Bowness, that would get him the needed experience for a potential shot at becoming the Blue Jackets’ coach of the future.
Bowness knows many people around the NHL. But don’t be surprised if they bring in someone who can help jump start the Blue Jackets’ special teams. Bowness made it a point at exit interviews to declare improving their special teams a top priority.
If there has been one noticeable theme within the Blue Jackets organization, it’s the amount of turnover in coaching they’ve had both in head coaches and assistant coaches. One must wonder how much of an influence this has had on the team especially in the last five years. With Bowness only being on for next season, there could be more changes down the road.
What will be worth watching is not only who the Blue Jackets bring in, but for how long. They need to find some much needed stability behind the bench in all roles. That’s what makes these decisions important.
Will there be a Bowness successor? Will they be on the staff beyond this coming season? The team needs to get these hires right. It’s especially important that they get them right in this cycle. Why? That’s because the Blue Jackets want to make the playoffs in 2026-27. Missing out again would give the organization much more serious questions to consider on multiple fronts.
Monsters Update
The Monsters opened their best-of-five series against the Syracuse Crunch at home on Friday and Sunday. They came away with a split.
The Monsters jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Friday night before holding on for a 3-2 win in Game 1. The Crunch responded by knocking Ivan Fedotov out of the game by scoring four times early. Brandon Halverson allowed a goal to Mikael Pyyhtia in the third period but that was it. Syracuse pulled even in the series with a 4-1 win in Game 2 on Sunday.
The rest of the series, including Game 5 if necessary, will take place in Syracuse. Pay attention to the schedule though. Game 3 is Friday May 1. Game 4 is Sunday May 3. Then if needed, Game 5 is the following Saturday May 9.
It was Evan Gardner who came in to replace Fedotov in Game 2 marking his AHL playoff debut. He stopped all 10 shots he faced. Expect Zach Sawchenko to start Game 3.
It’s an important series for the Monsters to show where they are at in their development path. Since the Blue Jackets’ season ended, several staffers have been in Cleveland getting a first-hand look. Both Waddell and Bowness were there for the Monsters’ last regular-season game against Grand Rapids.
The other interesting thing to watch for will be potential replacements in the lineup. Jordan Dumais among others was a healthy scratch during the first two games of the series. Vogelhuber told those players to stay ready in case their numbers were called. We could see some changes coming off a lackluster Game 2.
Side Dishes
- Little more than a month until the NHL Combine in Buffalo. That takes place on the first week of June. The Blue Jackets will most likely pick 14th at the NHL Draft also taking place in Buffalo. Expect the team to hone in on players available in that range. And if it was anything like last year, don’t be surprised to see the Blue Jackets try to trade that pick for now help if they can.
- Couple of Blue Jackets’ prospects have new schools for the upcoming season after going through the transfer portal. Andrew Strathmann is off to Quinnipiac. Meanwhile, Tanner Henricks and Melvin Strahl are off to Minnesota.
- Mark your calendars for May 7. That’s when the three finalists for the Norris Trophy will be announced. That’s the day we’ll learn if Zach Werenski was named a finalist for the second-consecutive season. Starting Tuesday and going through May 11, various finalists will be announced for each of the major awards.
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