Hall-of-Famer fired just weeks ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season

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Tom Banks
August 7, 2024 (6:17 PM)

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have made two Head Coach changes over the past 18 months, and now they've let go of a Hockey Hall of Famer.

The past 12 months have been a wild ride for the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Mike Babcock, Pascal Vincent and now Dean Evason all serving as Head Coach over that time. After the firing of Babcock, the team had to pivot with little time heading into the season, and with that move, they brought in Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Recchi as an assistant.

The 2023/24 campaign didn't go the way they would have hoped, and after moving on from Vincent earlier this off-season, Recchi has now reportedly followed suit.

Assistant coach Mark Recchi has been informed he will not be back with #CBJ next season.

That's a rough ride for an NHL Hall of Famer w 3 Stanley Cup rings - fired after only one season after joining the franchise last Sept mid-training camp following the Babcock debacle.

Recchi reportedly signed a two-year deal with Columbus, so has now been moved on with one year remaining on his deal, and while it's no surprise that changes came with the new regime, this wasn't one that anyone saw coming. Several other assistants will reportedly return for Columbus, so there was clearly an issue with the three-time Stanley Cup winner, enough that he won't be back to help this team develop.

With one of the most talented core groups in the NHL, the future is bright in Columbus, and if Evason can do what both Babcock and Vincent couldn't, we could be looking at a very good team in 2024/25.