Columbus Blue Jackets hire their new head coach
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The Columbus Blue Jackets have made a significant move, appointing Dean Evason as their new head coach on a multi-year contract.
This announcement was made by President and General Manager Don Waddell and is set to be formally introduced at a press conference on July 23 at Nationwide Arena.
GOT OUR GUY 🤩
We've named Dean Evason as our new head coach!
We're thrilled to welcome Dean and his wife Genevieve to the #CBJ family!
📝 http://cbj.co/evason-tw-072224
We've named Dean Evason as our new head coach!
We're thrilled to welcome Dean and his wife Genevieve to the #CBJ family!
📝 http://cbj.co/evason-tw-072224
At 59 years old, Evason brings a wealth of experience to the Blue Jackets. His previous stint as the head coach of the Minnesota Wild saw him amass a commendable 147-77-27 record over 251 games across five seasons. Evason's tenure with the Wild was marked by impressive achievements, including a .639 points percentage, ranking fifth among active NHL coaches with over 250 games coached. Under his leadership, the Wild were consistently competitive, finishing eighth in points percentage, seventh in goals-per-game, and tenth in wins.
Evason was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in the 2020-21 season and placed fourth in the voting the following year. He guided the Wild to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons as head coach, underscoring his ability to lead teams to success.
"Dean Evason brings to coaching what he brought as a player � passion, hard work, and tenacity � and I couldn't be happier that he will serve as the next head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets,» said Waddell. «His extensive experience in the league, coupled with his outstanding character, will undoubtedly help us achieve our goals."
Evason's coaching journey began with the Washington Capitals, where he served as an assistant coach from 2005 to 2012. During this time, the Capitals won four Southeast Division titles and the Presidents' Trophy in 2009-10. His early coaching career also includes significant stints with the Milwaukee Admirals and various teams in the Western Hockey League.
«I am incredibly proud and honored to be named the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets and appreciate very much the opportunity that Don, the McConnell family and Mike Priest have extended to me,» said Evason. «There is a great core and a lot of young talent on this team. I am really looking forward to working with this group and helping us become a team that playsextremely hard and competes at the highest level.»
Internationally, Evason has a strong track record, representing Canada both as a player and coach. He captained the Canadian National Team to a gold medal at the 1997 IIHF World Championships and recently served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championships.
As a player, Evason was selected by the Capitals in the fifth round of the 1982 NHL Draft. Over a 13-year NHL career, he recorded 139 goals and 233 assists. His playing career also took him to Europe, where he spent time with teams in Switzerland and Germany.
Evason's media availability will take place on Tuesday, July 23, with Waddell and Evason meeting with the press at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Founders Club at Nationwide Arena. The session will be streamed live on the Blue Jackets' YouTube page and subsequently posted on BlueJackets.com.
With Evason at the helm, the Blue Jackets are poised for a new chapter, aiming to leverage his extensive experience and leadership to elevate the team's performance in the coming seasons.
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
Blue Jackets name Dean Evason Head Coach
Blue Jackets name Dean Evason Head Coach
| POLL | ||
22 JUILLET | 92 ANSWERS Columbus Blue Jackets hire their new head coach Do you think Dean Evason will be a successful head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets? | ||
| Yes | 40 | 43.5 % |
| No | 52 | 56.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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