The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway, but for those teams that missed the postseason – like the Columbus Blue Jackets – it’s already time to look ahead to the offseason.
First, there are teams already making changes to their coaching staff. New York (Rangers), Anaheim, Seattle, and Philadelphia have coaching vacancies, and Rick Tocchet’s position in Vancouver is uncertain. New York (the Islanders) fired their GM, Lou Lamoriello, so who knows if coach Patrick Roy is safe there. The Blue Jackets are obviously content with Dean Evason, and they’ve extended several assistants that he inherited: Jared Boll, Niklas Backstrom, and Steve McCarthy.