Hello Hockeybuzzards! Apologies for the late blog this week. More family and summer festivities have kept me away from the news of the club. Three major moves have occurred since I was last here so let’s discuss.
Dean Evason - 11th Head Coach (2024-Present)
The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired Dean Evason to be the 11th head coach in their franchise history. Evason was dismissed by the Minnesota Wild in early January.
Evason is a veteran of 803 NHL games between Washington, Hartford, San Jose, Dallas, and Calgary.
As head coach, he developed in the WHL and joined the Capitals after the lockout. Learning under Bruce Boudreau, he was left go under the Dalé Hunter regime. He coached Milwaukee for six seasons before Bruce called him back to join him in Minnesota.
Evason took over for Bourdreau during the COVID bubble. In parts of five seasons, he was 251-147-77 for a 0.639 winning percentage.
Despite never winning a playoff round in the professional leagues, Waddell decided on 60 year old (to be) over Jay Woodcroft as next bench boss.
Dean is pumped to get here, and publicly is hoping his team can defeat his former team in Minnesota.
Unlike his team in Minny, he has a weaker duo in the crease and a much young team all around. Being a player coach like he is, he will need to get the best out of the veterans and kids while being the first coach in franchise history to have the Outdoor game. Nice feather in the cap.
Does this move make the team better? No. The better candidate was kept off the table. This division is unpredictable and could finish 7th, but it’s July. No need to dig any deeper into predictions of the league just yet.
Laine Cleared
After training video leaked of Laine with the Cleveland Browns, the NHLPA has cleared Columbus winger Patrik Laine for play in the upcoming 2024-2025 regular season. How long that is with the Jackets is a different question as they are working out a trade for the second overall pick.
RFA Extensions - KJ & Marchy
The Columbus Blue Jackets have agreed to three year contract extensions to forwards Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko.
Johnson earns a $1.8M cap hit, $5.4M total to the 2026-2027 season. He becomes the eighth highest paid forward. Johnson has earned 59 points in 130 career games with the Jackets. He has not played since the end of February as he is recovering from a torn labrum after being sent to Cleveland early in the year. This means the franchise sees him here to stay. Wonder if hun and Fantilli would make some Michigan magic.
Marchenko earns a $3.85M cap hit, $11.55M total to the 2026-2027 season. He becomes the fourth highest paid forward. Marchy has collected 67 points in 137 games. He found his groove in a young Russian line with Yegor Chinakov, signed earlier this summer, and Dmitry Voronkov. This trio can score, and will that carry over into the new season is yet to be seen.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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