Columbus Blue Jackets Fire Coach Brad Larsen

The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired coach Brad Larsen after two seasons at the helm.

The coaching changes keep on coming. 

With the NHL playoffs set to kick off in the coming days, teams that didn't book a ticket to the dance are doing some housecleaning. The Columbus Blue Jackets became the latest club to open up a vacancy behind their bench this week, officially parting ways with coach Brad Larsen and opting not to renew the contract of goaltending coach Manny Legace. 

Larsen was promoted to the position of the ninth coach in Blue Jackets history in 2020. In 164 games at the helm, Larsen led the club to a 62-86-16 record, including a dismal 25-48-9 finish in 2022-23 that landed the Blue Jackets in last place in the Metropolitan Division. 

Despite injuries taking a toll on the Blue Jackets this past season, expectations were still raised after the club landed star free agent Johnny Gaudreau and locked in sniper Patrik Laine to a lucrative contract extension. With Columbus falling out of the playoff race after practically the first month of the season, the writing was on the wall for Larsen's departure from there on out. 

"This season has been extremely disappointing and the responsibility for that lies with all of us," said Blue Jackets GM and alternate governor Jarmo Kekalainen in a statement on Saturday. 

"These decisions were difficult and not made lightly given our respect for both Brad and Manny as coaches and people. Brad has been part of our organization for more than a decade, and we are extremely thankful for his hard work and many contributions – both on and off the ice – during that time. We wish nothing but the best for Brad and his family in the future." 

With a crop of talented players on their roster that are hopeful to return from injury next season, the Blue Jackets will now begin their search for the right coach to lead them into a new and successful era.