Former Moose coach Pascal Vincent named new NHL bench boss in Columbus

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This article was published 17/09/2023 (975 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pascal Vincent is finally getting his chance to lead an NHL club.

The former Winnipeg Jets assistant coach and Manitoba Moose head coach is taking over the reigns of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He replaces Mike Babcock, who resigned on Sunday following an investigation into his conduct with several players during pre-season meetings.

Vincent, 51, spent 12 years behind the bench in the QMJHL before coming to Winnipeg in 2011-12. He had five seasons with the Jets working beside both Claude Noel and Paul Maurice, then five more years as the top man with the Moose including being named the AHL coach of the year in 2017-18.

Vincent has been an associate coach with the Blue Jackets for the past two seasons working with Brad Larsen, who was fired this past spring and ultimately replaced by Babcock. The Quebec product has agreed to a new two-year deal with Columbus that runs through the 2024-25 campaign.