COLUMBUS, Ohio — At a time when most NHL clubs are finalizing training camp plans, the Columbus Blue Jackets are still putting together their coaching staff for the upcoming season.
The Athletic learned on Tuesday that assistant coach Mark Recchi, who joined the club under usual circumstances during the middle of training camp last September, will not be a part of new coach Dean Evason’s staff. Recchi, who coached the Blue Jackets’ forwards and power play, was fired with one year remaining on his contract.
Recchi, 56, was informed of the decision last month, the source indicated, soon after the Blue Jackets made Evason’s hiring official after a lengthy search. He declined to comment in a text exchange with The Athletic.
That makes two assistant coaches from former coach Pascal Vincent’s staff that will not be back next season. Assistant coach Josef Boumedienne was informed after the season that his expiring contract would not be renewed, president and GM Don Waddell told The Athletic last month.
The two other assistants appear safe.
The Athletic reported last week that assistant coach Jared Boll, also a former player with the organization, would be back next season. It appears that assistant Steve McCarthy, who coaches the defensemen and penalty kill, will be back, too, a source indicated to The Athletic.
Boll and McCarthy both have contracts that expire after the 2024-25 season.
Evason has been told that he can bring “one or two” assistant coaches with him. Recchi’s position will most certainly be filled, but it’s unclear if the second hire — replacing Boumedienne — would be made this summer or next offseason.
Recchi joined the club under unique and unfortunate circumstances last fall.
The Blue Jackets fired coach Mike Babcock four days before the start of training camp last season after it was learned that he had invaded players’ privacy by scrolling through their cell phones to view their private pictures and text messages.
Babcock’s firing caused a ripple effect, with assistant Pascal Vincent getting promoted to replace Babcock, creating an opening on the staff. Recchi wasn’t hired until late September, well after training camp and the preseason schedule was underway.
The NHL Hall of Famer and three-time Stanley Cup winner took over a chronically bad power play — Columbus hasn’t finished higher than 24th in the league with a man-advantage over the last seven seasons — and was unable to make a difference. They were 31st (out of 32 teams) last season.
Vincent was fired after just one season. He was recently hired to coach the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL franchise in Laval, Quebec.
The Blue Jackets incurred a loss beyond their coaching staff, too.
Derek Dorsett, who played for the Blue Jackets and two other NHL clubs before returning to the organization as a player development coach three years ago, resigned his position late last week, a source told The Athletic on Tuesday.
Dorsett, 37, had seen his status elevate within the organization over the last couple of seasons, beyond what a typical development coach handles. He sat in with the Blue Jackets’ decision-makers when GM Jarmo Kekalainen was in charge, helping with NHL trade deadline late in the season and the start of free agency in July.
Two years ago, after the Blue Jackets had signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson as a free agent, it was Dorsett whom Gudbranson called with news that highly-pursued free agent Johnny Gaudreau was interested in hearing from the Blue Jackets.
Gaudreau signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract later that day.
(Photo of Mark Recchi: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
