Columbus Is Blowing Up Its Coaching Staff and Sixth Straight Playoff Miss Is the Reason Why

The Columbus Blue Jackets are done waiting around. On Friday, the organization announced they're parting ways with assistant coaches Mike Haviland and Scott Ford, along with video coach Aron Augustitus. All three were contracted through the 2025-26 season, but the front office decided a clean break was necessary after another brutal finish.

Six Years of Disappointment Finally Forces a Move

Columbus finished with a 40-30-12 record and 92 points, which was good enough for fifth in the Metropolitan Division. That record, however, didn't translate to playoff hockey. This marks the sixth consecutive season the Blue Jackets have missed the postseason, and the organization clearly views the coaching staff as part of the problem.

President of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell didn't mince words about the reasoning. "Following our end of season meetings, Rick and I determined that changes to our coaching staff would be in the best interest of our club moving forward," Waddell said. The move signals that head coach Rick Bowness, who took over mid-season, has buy-in from the front office to shape a staff that can actually get this team over the hump.

Haviland and Ford Out, But Bowness Stays

Haviland and Ford both joined the Blue Jackets before the 2024-25 season, making them relatively fresh additions. Augustitus has been with the organization longer, arriving back in 2018. Their departures come after Columbus made the mid-season coaching change that sent Dean Evason and assistant Steve McCarthy packing on January 12. Bowness steadied the ship after taking over, finishing 21-11-5 in his time behind the bench, but even that improvement wasn't enough to save the assistants' jobs.

The Blue Jackets are already moving forward with the search for replacements. "We will begin the process of reviewing candidates to join our staff in the very near future," Waddell added. The front office is leaving no stone unturned as it tries to finally snap this lengthy playoff drought and turn this roster into a winner.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.