Navigating Blue Jackets Coaching Rumors – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets appeared ready to name their new head coach. Due to some reports that have surfaced, maybe the decision is more than we think.

On Wednesday, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic first and later confirmed by Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch, Todd McLellan, who was thought to be the frontrunner for the Blue Jackets' coaching job, is gone. While both said the team could go back to McLellan eventually, it appears the search will move on to other candidates.

In both reports, contract negotiations were cited as the reason for not reaching an agreement. GM Don Waddell said last week he was down to three and would make a decision in the next 7-10 days. Although that time frame is not yet over, that seems highly doubtful based on these reports.

How Did We Get Here?

In case you haven't followed the proceedings closely, let's do a quick reset. Waddell ended up firing head coach Pascal Vincent just weeks after becoming the new President of Hockey Operations and GM of the Blue Jackets. He said that change is needed.

Waddell then went on the record looking for a coach with NHL experience. After going through his list of candidates, his final list was down to three. The belief after confirming with many sources around the league was that the list was made up of McLellan, Dean Evason and Jay Woodcroft.

Originally, it was ESPN's John Buccigross who posted a look at McLellan as the next Blue Jackets coach. Apparently that was before Waddell did any interviews. But as a source texted me shortly after that post, McLellan was “at or near the top of their list.”

It was clear that McLellan was a name to watch in the process. But as time went on without an official announcement, questions began to be asked. Was there some kind of restraint?

Now here we are today with these rumors that McLellan has dropped out of the race. As it turns out, all three believe the nominees were fired from their last job and each has one season left on that contract.

What does this mean? It means that there is more discussion that needs to happen with the previous team. That team and the Blue Jackets will have to figure out how much each team paid for that last year. Then the Blue Jackets will continue with the terms of the new contract.

Whatever it was, the parties could not agree on terms. As of this writing, we do not know the exact reason for the stalled negotiations. However, seeing reports suggests that the Green Jackets may return points in a matter of time or dollars. Maybe both. The team can make another offer to McLellan if it chooses.

Many Unanswered Questions

Seeing these reports certainly leaves many questions unanswered. But perhaps at the top of the list is this. If McLellan was the guy Waddell wanted, what stopped the deal from being done?

We mentioned the term and dollars above. Do the parties see the length of the contract equally? Maybe the Blue Jackets want a shorter contract and McLellan wants more time. It is also possible that the two parties see the annual compensation differently.

Ownership will ultimately give final approval on a potential financial issue. They are already paying Pascal Vincent and may be paying Mike Babcock as well. Another question is whether they have set anything that can be given to the new coach?

You May Love It Again

And then what is the next part of this? Reports suggest that the door is not completely closed on McLellan. Will they circle back? When it comes to experience, McLellan has a huge advantage over both Evason and Woodcroft. That experience would be desirable to the Blue Jackets given where they are.

If the Blue Jackets move on to other candidates, are they now taking a non-finalist? As you can see, there are more questions than answers at this point. The longer this process goes on, the more questions need to be asked.

The Blue Jackets remain the only team in the NHL without a head coach. Although there is no set date for each individual to be named, it is urgent to know who will be up and running for the purposes of planning for the upcoming season. The team has other business to attend to. They have contracts that need to be fixed. And they have work to do on Patrik Laine.

Final thoughts

Despite these declining reports indicating a potential setback, this coaching search could end at any time. They may agree to another candidate or adjust their offer to McLellan for him to accept.

It's reasonable to expect that this process shouldn't take too long given what Waddell said. But it's also reasonable to wonder why this hasn't been done yet.

What will be interesting to see is that the new coach agreed. It may indicate a difference in opinion between how the Blue Jackets view themselves and how a potential coach views themselves.

Stay tuned to this ever-developing story. We may get to the bottom of it soon. It is possible.