Ken Hitchcock has his work cut out for him as he succeeds Gerard Gallant as head coach of the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets, his third NHL team. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)
Viewpoint: Scott Morrison
Blue Jackets bomb as they waited for a new coach
Last Updated Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006
by Scott Morrison
Not sure how many days it took Columbus to finally discover America. But it sure seemed like it took an eternity for Columbus to find a new head coach.
And not sure why it took so long, either.
Indeed, it was 10 days and four losses and counting since the Blue Jackets, wallowing at 5-9-1 at the time, decided to fire coach Gerard Gallant, who ultimately proved to be too good a guy to win, at least with that team.
Since then the search for a hard-ass began, assistant Gary Agnew was promoted to interim head coach, and former Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock and former Los Angeles Kings coach Andy Murray were, of course, brought in for interviews, both of which were termed as having gone very well.
Finally, on Wednesday, the Blue Jackets decided they couldn't live without Hitchcock, which was a good choice. Murray or Hitchcock, in both cases they would have done well, but their first choice is a good one and a guy who is well prepared to take on the mammoth clean up job that is required in Columbus.
Originally, Hitchcock had indicated if hired he wouldn't be in place behind the bench until Saturday at the earliest for a home date with the Minnesota Wild. Hitchcock told a Philadelphia reporter that, out of respect to the Flyers, he wouldn't coach against them on Friday afternoon in Philly. Have to admire him for that. But he has been convinced by a three-year contract to waive his emotions. Another good call.
Here's why.
Had Hitchcock waited, it would have been 13 days from firing to the new coach landing behind the bench. Two weeks. An eternity.
Now, it is one thing to be thorough, which is never bad, but most times when a coaching change is made, a team has a guy ready once the axe falls. It seems like these were 10 days and four losses the Jackets couldn't afford, not if there was any hope of salvaging the season, if salvaging means pursuing a playoff spot. To make matters worse, as mentioned, there was the potential to play two more games without a new coach (Wednesday versus St. Louis and Friday in Philly).
Beyond that, after they play the Wild at home on Saturday, the Blue Jackets depart on a five-game, 12-day road trip to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado and St. Louis. That will certainly give the new coach quality time to bond with his team, but this team has won just twice in eight tries on the road, so it might not exactly be a pleasure cruise.
It is, in part, because the ownership was involved along with president/general manager Doug MacLean that the hiring process was slowed down. But it is hard to fathom, with the hole now eight games below .500 deep, that the season can be saved.
Maybe it really was about getting it right, then fixing it.
It just seems they could have got it right a whole lot quicker.
But rest assured. They got it right.
Related
Other columns
- Final week grab-bag: Carolina's woes, traditional foes
- The debate over fighting in the NHL rages on
- Resignation not part of Saskin's vocabulary
- Penguins' plight: relocation, relocation, relocation
- What did we learn from trade deadline day?
- Thrashers pay hefty price for Tkachuk
- Winds of change spring from GM meetings
- Nashville wins the Forsberg sweepstakes
- Pat Burns keeps fighting the good fight
- Conroy's return bolsters Flames' Cup hopes
- The NHL schedule: better wait 'til next year
- Montreal's losses, Carbonneau's pain
- Comrie a better choice for Ottawa
- The Penguins may yet be on the march
- What happened to respect in sports journalism?
- Blue Jackets bombed as they waited for a new coach
- Penguins win huge off the ice
- The Hall of Fame: beyond riding the rainbow
- Let's leave the NHL schedule alone
- More questions than answers as Colie says no to Philly
- For GMs, patience is a virtue
- NHL attendance could be a problem. Again.
- Things could be finer in Carolina
- Don't hold your breath, Leaf fans
More Morrison
About Scott
- Scott Morrison, the recipient of the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2006 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, has been covering hockey for 25 years. The Toronto native began his career at the Toronto Sun in 1979. After spending more than 11 years as a hockey writer and columnist at the paper, Morrison became Sports Editor in 1991 and led the section to being named one of North America's top-ten sports sections in 1999 - the first sports section in Canada to receive the AP Sports Editors North American Award. Scott, a former two-term president of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, joined Rogers Sportsnet in 2001 as Managing Editor, Hockey, and is currently both a commentator on Hockey Night in Canada and a columnist for CBC.ca.
