While it had been previously reported that assistant coach Brad Shaw will move on from the Columbus Blue Jackets, a Columbus Dispatch article confirms that the decision to not move forward was made by the organization.
"I was disappointed," Shaw said. "I would've loved to do it. Just going through the interview process makes you better, but that's their decision and they're going to go in a different direction. So, I respect that."
Disappointed is the appropriate word, but "utterly confusing" also describes why one assistant coach would be granted an interview over the other. And while Larsen has a decent reputation (I suppose?), Shaw is considered one of the top assistant coaches in the NHL and has long been considered a head coaching candidate around the league.
They have deemed that Brad Larsen is worthy of consideration for the head coaching job. Brad Shaw is not being considered. Simple as that. https://t.co/X5lAY9lCUP
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 14, 2021
The Blue Jackets struggled this season in virtually every facet of the game, but their defense and penalty kill, which were Shaw's primary responsibilities, has been a staple for the past several years. Meanwhile, Larsen, who coached the offense and power play, has been an issue for years.
If the Blue Jackets were to move on from the entire coaching staff, that could be rationalized. If they chose to give each assistant coach an opportunity to showcase their vision, that, too, would make sense. But picking one over the other (and, my opinion, picking the wrong one), is a head-scratcher.
Shaw, 57, has 22 years of coaching experience after a 15-year professional playing career. Aside from a 40-game stretch with the 2005-07 New York Islanders, he has never served as head coach of an NHL franchise. One may have thought this would have been his best shot, but alas.
