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Blue Jackets Hire New Head Coach

The Blue Jackets have hired Dean Evason as the team's new head coach.

Jacob Punturi

Apr 10, 2022; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason looks on during the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2022; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason looks on during the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
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After a couple months of searching and interviewing, the Columbus Blue Jackets finally have a new head coach. The team announced through their social media channels that the team hired Dean Evason as their new head coach.

Evason come to the Blue Jackets with tons of playing and coaching experience. As a player, he enjoyed a 10-year career with several organizations, amassing 139 goals and 372 points over 801 NHL games.

He received his first major head coaching position with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League in 1999. After six seasons in the WHL, he was hired as the assistant coach for the Washington Capitals, kickstarting his NHL and AHL coaching career.

His big break came in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. Over six seasons with the club, he produced a 242-161-29 record, good for the second most coaching wins in team history. His performance garnered plenty of attention from NHL clubs.

The Minnesota Wild named Evason, serving as an assistant coach at the time, as the team's interim head coach midway through the 2019-2020 season. After finishing the season, the "interim" title was dropped. He coached the Wild for three full seasons and two partial ones, leading the squad to a 147-77-27 record.

His downfall with the Wild was a lack of postseason success. Similar to his stint in Milwaukee, he couldn't get his team past the first round of the playoffs. He holds a disappointing postseason record in the AHL and NHL, going 1-12 with the Admirals and 8-15 with the Wild.

For the Blue Jackets, they have a coach who is used to working with younger talent and getting more out of them. The Jackets are loaded with young players and recent high draft picks in need of guidance, and Evason should fill that role. They might not be a contender anytime soon, but the Blue Jackets should see major improvements under Dean Evason.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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