Blue Jackets Dismiss Coach Pascal Vincent After One Season

Karl Rasmussen | Jun 17, 2024

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent comes off the ice after their loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. / James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

The Columbus Blue Jackets are making a coaching change ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season.

The team announced on Monday that Pascal Vincent would not be returning next season in one of the first major moves of the Don Waddle era.

Waddle, who took over as the team's general manager this offseason, said that a change at the coaching position was "in the best interest" of the organization. He thanked Vincent for his services in a statement.

"As I spent time with Pascal over the past few weeks, I found him to be an outstanding person and smart hockey coaches who worked very hard under trying circumstances, but I believe a change behind the bench is in our team's best interest," Waddell said, via ESPN. "On behalf of our organization I want to thank Pascal for his work ethic, professionalism and contributions during his three seasons with the Blue Jackets."

Vincent spent one season as the head coach in Columbus. The Blue Jackets went 27–43–12 in his debut campaign, one which saw star forward Patrik Laine miss extended time due to an injury. Laine reportedly requested a trade from Columbus earlier in June.

Prior to stepping into the head coaching role, Vincent had been an assistant for the Blue Jackets since 2021. He was named head coach amid Mike Babcock's controversial exit from the organization just one month before the '23-'24 season.

Columbus, which has not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2020 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2019, owns the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.