hf101 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 http://www.nhl.com/ice/m_news.htm?id=610669 The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Monday morning that they have relieved Scott Arniel of his duties as coach.Assistant coach Todd Richards will be Arniel's replacement, on an interim basis, for the rest of the 2012-13 season.Richards, who joined the club as an assistant coach on June 20, 2011, will make his debut behind the Blue Jackets bench on Tuesday when the club visits the Chicago Blackhawks. Richards, 45, compiled a 77-71-16 record as the head coach of the Minnesota Wild from 2009-11. Prior to joining the Wild, he served as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks in 2008-09 when the club compiled an NHL-best 53-18-11 record. Richards spent two seasons as the head coach of the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from 2006-08, compiling a 98-49-13 record and leading the club to the 2008 Calder Cup Final. The dismissal of Arniel was announced less than 24 hours after the Blue Jackets dropped a 7-4 decision to the Duck in Anaheim.Arniel, in his second season with the Blue Jackets, had led the team to 11-25-5 record this season. At the season's midway point, Columbus, in last place in the League, has just 27 points and is 20 points out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Western Conference. Arniel, 49, finishes his Columbus tenure with a 45-60-20 record. He was the fifth coach in Blue jacket history, replacing Ken Hitchcock to start of the 2009-10 season.He is the seventh NHL coach to be fired this season.Richards, who joined the club as an assistant coach on June 20, 2011, will make his debut behind the Blue Jackets bench on Tuesday when the club visits the Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis fired Davis Payne in November and that was followed by a spate of coaching changes as Carolina (Paul Maurice), Washington (Bruce Boudreau), Anaheim (Randy Carlyle), Montreal (Jacques Martin) and Los Angeles (Terry Murray) all changed coaching direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Well, I think there is only one conclusion to draw from this: Jeff Carter is a coach killer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Richards has a great opportunity. The team is dead last, which means there's no where to go but up. The season my be over, as playoffs are a very tall order at this time, but if he can turn the club around with a "respectable" finish, no one will speak ill of them. They'll get a fresh start next year. Convince Rick Nash to hang on for another year or so, and watch what happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 @WingNut722 Richards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Assistant Coach Todd Richards, promoted to interim head coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 @doom88 Thanks for clarifying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 No problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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