Hitchcock Out In Columbus

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced a coaching change on Wednesday firing coach Ken Hitchcock and promoting assistant coach Claude Noel as the team’s new interim head coach.  The Blue Jackets currently sit in 14th place in the Western Conference with 53 points in 58 games.  Hitchcock led Columbus to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season, but the team has been unable to find success this season.

Hitchcock started his NHL coaching career in 1995 with the Dallas Stars and led the club to a Stanley Cup in 1999.  He has also coached the Philadelphia Flyers from 2002-03 to 2006-07.  Hitchcock isn’t done coaching this season, however, because he is an assistant coach for Team Canada’s Olympic team.

Noel joined the Columbus organization in 2007 after spending four seasons as head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators.  This is Noel’s first opportunity as a head coach at the NHL level.