When the Columbus Blue Jackets hired Brad Larsen in the summer of 2021 they thought they would be getting a guy that already knew the ins and outs of their franchise and would lead them back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

However, that simply has not been the case as the last year and a half under Larsen things have only seemed to get worse. The former player turned. Coach never had much experience as a head coach. In fact, they had none as he spent his entire coaching career up until this point as an assistant, and the previous seven seasons, as an assistant for the Blue Jackets themselves.

During his first season in Columbus, things looked somewhat positive at times as he led the team to finish a game under the 500 mark in regulation wins and losses and an overall record of 37-38-7 in his first season. Then over the off-season, the team brought in one of the best offensive players in the league in Johnny Gaudreau. The signing of Gaudreau sent shockwaves around the National Hockey League as everybody expected him to end up in New Jersey or remain in Calgary. 

However, up until this point, the signing looks extremely minimized, and somehow, Larson can’t figure out how to get a team with two of the best offensive players in the entire league to actually produce on the offensive end of the ice as a team. As of this writing, the Blue Jackets are dead last in the Metropolitan division and one of the worst teams in the entire National Hockey League.

They have only managed to win fourteen games in their first 47 games of the season and they are nearly a lock for the number one overall pick in the 2023 National Hockey League draft. 

They have also only managed to score 122 goals in those 47 games while giving up 184 goals. Their 122 Goals is only good enough for 30th in the league out of 32 teams. As you would expect the 184 goals they have relinquished and that time as well. It’s also ranked 30th out of 32 teams in the league when it comes to goals allowed.

Which brings us to the other glaring issue with this team, and that is their play in between the nets. As they can’t seem to get their goaltending situation figured out. Columbus has played three different goaltenders this season and not a single one of them has managed to record more than seven victories, or a single shutout on the season. 

Which circles me back to my main point, it is clear that the Brad Larsen era has not been going well and is not working out and they need to move on and get a coach that could work well with Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, and the rest of this young core to leave this Blue Jackets team to future success, because simply put right now, Columbus is the laughing stock of the hockey world.