3 Takeaways from Dean Evason's introductory press conference with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Dean Evason made a strong first impression in his first press conference for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Here are three things that stood out to me.
It took more than a month, but the Blue Jackets finally nailed down their new head coach on Monday, signing Dean Evason to a multi-year contract. Today, they introduced him formally via press conference.
I'll admit that I was pretty skeptical of Evason at first, but today's presser put me at ease a little bit. In case you missed it, you can catch it on YouTube here.
What stood out to me the most? I was able to nail down three things from his answers to a variety of questions. Let's take a look...
1. He has a great sense of humor...
Right away, the first thing I noticed about Dean Evason was that he did not take himself too seriously. Throughout the press conference, he gave light-hearted, open minded answers to every question thrown at him.
He even chimed in a couple of times when Don Waddell was speaking, which shows that he has a pretty high comfort level around his new boss. This could signify that they are on the same page, which could speak to why Evason became their choice.
My favorite comment in the entire interview was when he was asked about coaching young players at his various stops. Speaking about Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota) and, previously, Alexander Ovechkin (Washington), Evason quipped:
You can't teach Kirill Kaprizov like you teach Alexander Ovechkin. Although I taught them everything they know.
I loved that line, it really sets the tone for what he's all about. Evason has a reputation as a demanding coach, but one that is player friendly, and this definitely points to that being true.
Developing youth is the next step on this team's path to success. Having an experienced voice around the young players in this organization, with a track record of bringing other young stars along; should be very helpful.
Aside from his light-hearted approach, I caught some serious tones as well. Let's move on...
2. His passion for the game...
Throughout today's press conference, both Don Waddell and Dean Evason brought up the word "passion" several times. If you look at Waddell's past successes in Carolina, this trait makes a ton of sense.
In short, the Canes were in a similar situation to that of the Blue Jackets when Waddell took over as their GM. They had a collection of young players, along with some experienced vets; who just hadn't put it all together quite yet.
One of his most important moves in Carolina was hiring Rod Brind'Amour as his head coach. Their entire culture shifted, and the team has not missed the playoffs in the six season since.
Now, I'm not saying that the Blue Jackets are going to snap their fingers and become a playoff team next season. But, clearly, Brind'Amour's passion for the game carried over into that Hurricanes locker room, and it helped a young team gel more quickly.
That has to be the hope with Evason, who has lived an entire life in the world of hockey. You could see the love of the game in his eyes, and he spoke with great ambition when talking about the potential of hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Relaying that passion over to the team should definitely help them come together and play for one another. Which leads me to my final takeaway from this press conference...
3. His approach to the team game...
Dean Evason talked about having a hard working group with a team first mentality. When I think of a hockey team, those are probably the two most important things that I look for in a contender.
Getting 23 guys to play for the crest on the front of their jersey - rather than the name on the back - should be the goal of any head coach. Honestly, that's been part of the problem here since John Tortorella parted ways with the organization.
The team hasn't held itself accountable. You can see it in their on-ice results. One thing that Evason said on the subject, which really stood out:
#CBJ coach Dean Evason on his expectations:
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) July 23, 2024
"When we go into a building or teams come in here, they know that if they don't work hard, they lose. Simple as that. Our hockey club will work hard each and every night."
What more can you want? A passionate, caring, intelligent hockey guy who wants to ice a hard working, competitive team.
We all had our preferred candidates, but in the end, it's easy to see why Waddell and the Jackets are giving Evason a shot here. He checks all of the important boxes, and after seeing his presser today, I'm sold. I'm excited to see what next season will look like for this team.
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