(COLUMBUS) The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired head coach Brad Larsen, general manager and assistant governor Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement Saturday.
The announcement comes less than 24 hours after the Blue Jackets’ last game, which they lost 5-2 to the Buffalo Sabers.
In addition, the Blue Jackets have also announced that they will not be renewing the contract of Manny Legace, head coach of goalkeepers.
Larsen became the eighth head coach in team history on June 10, 2021, and signed a three-year contract that was set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season.
The 45-year-old Larsen led the Blue Jackets to an overall record of 62-86-16 in 164 games — a .427 save percentage — over the past two seasons, including a 25-48-9 record for a total of 59 points in 2022-23. In the overall NHL standings this season, the Blue Jackets finished 31st and second-to-last, one point ahead of the Anaheim Ducks.
In his first season at the helm of the team, in 2021-22, Larsen led the Blue Jackets to a 37-38-7 record for a total of 81 points. He had spent the previous seven seasons with the Blue Jackets in an assistant role to Todd Richards and John Tortorella.
“These decisions were tough and not taken lightly given our respect for Brad and Manny as coaches and people. Brad has been with our organization for over 10 years and we are extremely grateful for his hard work and many contributions — on and off the ice — during that time. »
The 50-year-old Legace has served as the Blue Jackets’ goaltending coach for the past five seasons after serving in a similar role for the previous five seasons with the Blue Jackets’ AHL farms.
