After the Jackets’ season ended, club assistant coach Dan Hinote announced he would not be returning to the organization this season for personal reasons. The search for a new assistant coach didn’t last too long, and the club eventually settled on Springfield Falcons head coach Brad Larson.
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Larson was drafted 53rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1995 NHL draft, and was traded to but not signed by the Colorado Avalanche in 2006. subsequently, he was re-entered into the draft, and was drafted by Colorado in the 2007 entry draft. He alternated playing time in the NHL and AHL before eventually being picked up off waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers. In 2010, Larson retired from playing and joined the management of the Springfield Falcons.
Larson became head coach of the Springfield falcons in 2012, and in his first season the team posted a 45-22-9 record. This past season, much like their NHL affiliates, the Falcons had a franchise-high point total with 100 points and a 47-23-6 record. The Falcons’ success over the last two years led to Larson being promoted to assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets starting in the 2014-15 season.
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As the Jackets look to build on a franchise-record-setting season, adding Larson as an assistant coach adds depth to the team management. He has had tremendous success with the Falcons in the last two years, so now he will join the Jackets and hopefully help head coach Todd Richards and the team to reach new heights in the coming years.