One year ago today, John Tortorella signed an extension to coach the Columbus Blue Jackets through the upcoming 2018-19 season. In September 2016, CBJ ownership extended team president of hockey operations John Davidson, general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen and assistant general management Bill Zito through the upcoming 2018-19 season. Suffice it to say, that’s a key leadership group facing possible unemployment unless the Blue Jackets…do what, exactly?
Quick recap of CBJ seasons under Davidson, Kekäläinen and eventually Tortorella:
2012-13 (Kekäläinen enters in February): 24-17-7, miss playoffs
2013-14: 43-32-7, lose in first round
2014-15: 42-35-5, miss playoffs
2015-16 (Tortorella enters seven games in): 34-40-8, miss playoffs
2016-17: 50-24-8, lose in first round
2017-18: 45-30-7, lose in first round
Those past five and a half campaigns represent the most successful era in Blue Jackets history.