The Columbus Blue Jackets might be done with their 2024-25 season, but the work never stops. Between the upcoming World Championships and preparing for the 2025 NHL Draft, the team has a lot on their plate.
One of those items involved decisions regarding the future of some of their support staff. That’s where we begin this edition of Blue Jackets’ News & Rumors.
Staffing Changes
The Hockey Writers is able to confirm that four long-time staffers of the Blue Jackets were not retained. This includes two that had been with the team since their inception.
- Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Kevin Collins.
- Head Equipment Manager Jamie Healy.
- Video Coach Dan Singleton.
- Assistant Athletic Trainer Naoto Goto.
In each case, a decision was made to not renew their expiring contracts. As pointed out by Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch on the Cannon Fodder podcast, GM Don Waddell told him they had 51 expiring contracts that they had to make decisions on.
With the four above not retained, the expectation was that all others would be retained. That means any assistant coaches up for renewal were retained. Jared Boll and Steve McCarthy were in that situation. Boll was seen in Cleveland last week for Game 1 against the Toronto Marlies along with head coach Dean Evason and assistant GM Josh Flynn.
At this point, there is no word on who will replace those not retained. Waddell now gets his chance to put his stamp on the Blue Jackets after having one season to evaluate what they had.
The most notable one not retained was Collins. He joined the Blue Jackets in June 2010 as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. Recent years have brought up questions regarding injuries on the team and how they’ve been handled. Past regimes ruled the injuries to be more “bad luck” than anything. Waddell decided to make a change now.
World Championships
We wondered at Blue Jackets’ exit-interview day if Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson would be joining Team Canada for the upcoming World Championships. Both players weren’t formally asked as of then. It seems we have more clarity now. And they’re not alone.
According to Aaron Portzline of the Athletic, Fantilli & Johnson will play for Team Canada. And as first reported by Darren Dreger of TSN, Evason will be the head coach of Team Canada.
#CBJ Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson will play for Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Sweden and Denmark.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) April 28, 2025
With the news of Evason being the head coach, it was no surprise to hear of Fantilli and Johnson being on the team. As of this writing, Team Canada hasn’t formally announced the rest of the staff or their roster. That is expected soon given the tournament starts on May 9.
This year’s World Championships will be held in Sweden and Denmark.
Side Dishes
- The Cleveland Monsters will open their series against the Laval Rocket on Wednesday night at Rocket Arena after the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a four-game sweep of the Miami Heat on Monday night. The Monsters open at home despite the Rocket being the regular-season AHL champions. That’s due to the distance between the two teams. If over 300 miles apart, the higher-seeded team can opt for a 2-3 series in a best-of-5. Laval chose this option so Cleveland will play Games 1 and 2 at home.
- The Monsters will see a familiar face in Pascal Vincent during this series. He helped guide the Rocket to the AHL’s best record one year after being dismissed by the Blue Jackets. Think there will be a little extra motivation here?
- The Monsters and Rocket played four times in the regular season with each team winning twice. With the Canadiens and Capitals playing Game 5 on Wednesday and Samuel Montembeault’s status in question, Rocket starter Cayden Primeau is in the NHL. If the Canadiens are eliminated, Primeau will race back to help his team advance.
- The Minnesota Wild are giving the Vegas Golden Knights all they can handle. They play Game 5 Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena. A reminder that if the Wild are eliminated, we could get clarity on where the Blue Jackets will pick with their other first-round pick since they own the Wild’s pick from the David Jiricek trade. Don’t be surprised if that pick becomes available for teams in trade as the Blue Jackets want to upgrade their NHL roster in anyway possible.
- As for Waddell, he’s put his scouting hat on this week as he made the trip to Texas for the U-18’s. We’re just over a month away from the NHL Combine in Buffalo and just under two months out from the NHL Draft in Los Angeles. It may be quiet now. But it won’t be for long.