Blue Jackets part ways with three assistants after missing playoffs

Field Level Media|published: 04/24/2026, 1:37pm EDT

Mar 12, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a Columbus Blue Jackets logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Friday that assistant coaches Mike Haviland and Scott Ford will not return for the 2026-27 season.

In addition, the team is set to part ways with video coach Aron Augustitus.

All three were under contract through 2025-26. Haviland and Ford joined the Blue Jackets prior to the 2024-25 campaign and Augustitus joined the organization in 2018.

The decisions were made by president of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell and head coach Rick Bowness after Columbus (40-30-12, 92 points) finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

"Following our end of season meetings, Rick and I determined that changes to our coaching staff would be in the best interest of our club moving forward," Waddell said. "We are very appreciative of the time and hard work that Mike, Scott and Aron have done during their time with the Blue Jackets and wish them well in their future endeavors. We will begin the process of reviewing candidates to join our staff in the very near future."

Columbus finished 21-11-5 under Bowness, who took over when head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Steve McCarthy were fired on Jan. 12.

--Field Level Media