The Columbus Blue Jackets appear to be close to naming a new head coach, and according to some reports that have surfaced, the decision may be further down the line than we think.
First reported on Wednesday by The Athletic's Aaron Portzlein and later confirmed by the Columbus Dispatch's Brian Hedger, Todd McLellan, who had been considered the front-runner for the Blue Jackets head coaching job, has been removed from the running. Both men said they may ultimately turn to McLellan, but the team will likely look to other candidates.
Both reports cited contract talks as the reason an agreement didn't come to fruition. GM Don Waddell said last week that the field had been narrowed down to three candidates and that a decision would be made within the next seven to 10 days. That deadline hasn't passed yet, but judging by these reports, it seems highly doubtful.
How did we get here?
For those of you who haven't been following the story closely, here's a quick recap: Waddell was hired as the Blue Jackets' president of hockey operations and general manager just weeks before he ultimately fired head coach Pascal Vincent, citing a need for change.
Waddell later publicly stated that he wanted a coach with NHL experience, and after reviewing a list of candidates, he ultimately narrowed it down to three names, which multiple sources around the league confirmed included McClellan, Dean Evason and Jay Woodcroft.
ESPN's John Buccigross originally posted that the Blue Jackets were looking at McClellan as their next head coach, likely before Waddell interviewed, but a source texted me shortly after that post saying McClellan was “at or near the top of their list.”
It was clear that McClellan was the man to watch in this process, but as time passed without a formal announcement, questions began to arise: Was there a delay?
And today, there are rumors that McClellan has dropped out of the race. After all, all three potential contenders were fired from their previous jobs and each had one season remaining on their contracts.
What does this mean? It means that additional negotiations will have to take place with his former team. His former team and the Blue Jackets will have to work out how much each team was paid last year. Then the Blue Jackets will move forward with the terms of his new contract.
For whatever reason, the two sides were unable to agree on terms. As of this writing, it's unclear exactly why negotiations have stalled, but reports suggest the Blue Jackets may give points back on terms or money, likely both. The team could make another offer to McClellan if they so choose.
Many unanswered questions
These reports certainly leave many questions unanswered, but perhaps topping the list is this: If McClellan was who Waddell wanted, why didn't the deal get done?
Above we mentioned the length and amount of the contract. Do the two sides have the same view on the length of the contract? Perhaps the Blue Jackets want a shorter contract and McClellan wants a longer contract. It's also possible that the two sides have different views on annual compensation.
The owners would ultimately have final approval on any potential financial deal — they've already paid Pascal Vincent and potentially Mike Babcock — so another question is whether they have any limitations on how much the new manager can be paid.
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And what about the future of this? Reports suggest the door isn't completely closed on McClellan. Will they come back? Experience-wise, McClellan has a significant advantage over both Evason and Woodcroft. Given the Blue Jackets' current situation, that experience would be desirable.
If the Blue Jackets move on to other candidates, will they consider someone who wasn't originally on their final list? As you can see, there are more questions than answers at this point. The longer this process drags on, the more questions there are to ask.
The Blue Jackets are the only team in the NHL without a head coach. There is no specific date by which they must name a head coach, but they need to know soon who that will be in order to plan for next season. The team has other business to take care of. Contracts need to be finalized, and there is work to be done with Patrik Laine.
Final thoughts
The disappearance of those reports suggests a possible setback, but this coaching search could end at any time, as they either agree to another candidate or adjust their offer to make it acceptable to McClellan.
Given Waddell's comments, it's reasonable to assume this process won't take long, but it's also natural to wonder why it hasn't happened already.
What will be interesting to see is what the new coach agrees to, as it could indicate a difference in opinion between how the Blue Jackets see themselves and how potential new coaches see them.
Stay tuned to this ever-evolving story, as we may soon see a conclusion. Maybe.
