Dean Evason was introduced as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets this week.
It was Evason's first chance to introduce himself to the Columbus faithful and for many Blue Jackets fans, their first real chance to listen to what his expectations are for the roster, both on and off the ice.
When President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell introduced Evason at Tuesday's press conference, he used the word passion on multiple occasions.
That passion was on full display in Evason's words as he offered up some insight as to what he expects from his club from the outset.
Here are a few of the key quotes from Evason's introduction:
"WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET OUTWORKED. WHEN WE GO INTO A BUILDING OR TEAMS COME IN HERE, they (WILL) know that if they don't work hard, they'll lose."
Evason's tenure as the head coach of the Minnesota Wild lasted 251 games, with the team picking up 147 wins over his three-plus seasons behind the bench. Overall, his point percentage while with the Wild was 63.9% — which comes out to an average of 105 points per 82-game season. It was a team that exceeded expectations on more than one occasion, an indication that these words are more than coach-speak.
"Our team will play with great detail and great structure, but we'll also give them the opportunity to be creative. ...You have to allow players to make mistakes and still have a chance for success."
A consistent message has been something that the Blue Jackets have lacked in recent seasons, and it felt at times that players were too scared to make a mistake. Allowing players to mistakes and being open about that is sure to be a breath of fresh air to many of the younger players on the roster.
"(the goal is to build a) team-first mentality and play hard for each other. Not for me, not for Don (waddell), but for each other."
While with the Wild, Evason's Minnesota clubs were known as being a unit that was tough to play against. They weren't always the team with superior talent, but back-to-back 100-point seasons (and what would have been three, had the 2021-22 schedule been a full 82-game season) don't happen by accident. They happen when a team believes in what they're doing and believe in the people around them. Leadership is a part of that, and in his press conference Evason made clear that his clubs don't just have one leader:
"There's not one leader on your hockey club. We want there to be several leaders."
Evason said that it doesn't how long a player has been with the team or how old they are, that once they put on the Blue Jackets sweater, they're a part of the team. It may seem simple, but this is an indication that everyone is on an equal playing field — a concept that seemingly didn't exist at times last season.
" Each player has to help the other players have success, and that's what we will instill. There will be no more individual thought processes."
For a young team like the Blue Jackets, how much the players buy into a team-first mentality and helping make the guy next to them a better player is going to have a significant say in the tenure of Evason.
If they fully invest in what has proven to be a successful NHL philosophy, Evason's tenure in Columbus could be a long one.
