The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that Dean Evason will be their new head coach. In an official announcement by the team on Monday, the Blue Jackets posted, “Got Our Guy” and said they were thrilled to announce Dean and his wife Genevieve to the Blue Jackets family.
Evason was chosen over Jay Woodcroft and Todd McLellan, the latter of which only after negotiations were rumored to have fallen apart.
Evason, 59, achieved a 147-77-27 record over 251 games as head coach of the Minnesota Wild. He became interim head coach on Feb. 14, 2020, and was promoted to head coach on July 13, 2020, serving until Nov. 27, 2023. With a .639 points percentage, he ranks fifth among active NHL coaches with over 250 games. The Wild ranked eighth in points percentage and made the playoffs each season under his leadership. Evason was a Jack Adams Award finalist in 2020-21 and fourth in 2021-22.
“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 new GM Don Waddell. “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 plays extremely hard and competes at the highest level.”
Time for the Blue Jackets To Turn the Corner
The Blue Jackets made major changes at the executive and coaching level this offseason and the organization is finally looking to turn around its fortunes. That may start with Evason and setting a new level of expectations for a club that has often been considered dysfunctional. They have a solid group of draft prospects and some marquee players that suggest the team shouldn’t be as bad as its been in recent seasons.
