The Columbus Blue Jackets are one team looking to name a new head coach next offseason, with reported candidates ranging from current associate coach Pascal Vincent to controversial veteran coach Mike Babcock. On Tuesday, Larry Brooks of the New York Post added Hall of Famer and CSKA Moskva head coach Sergei Fedorov into the mix of Columbus coaching targets.
While Fedorov is best remembered for his playing days as a Detroit Red Wing, he did play the better part of three seasons as a Blue Jacket in the latter stages of his career between 2005 and 2008. Overseas, his two seasons as a head coach have been wildly successful, winning the KHL’s Coach of the Year award in 2021-22 while also taking home the league championship.
Fedorov’s hire would certainly come out of left field — it’s rare for NHL teams to opt for an external voice behind the bench with such little coaching experience. However, it’s a move that has been shown to be successful in the past few years, namely Martin St. Louis in Montreal.
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