After five plus seasons, the Columbus Blue Jackets fired General Manager Scott Howson Tuesday night. Alison Holm has more.Scott Howson presided over the best of times for the Columbus Blue Jackets – under his watch in 2009 they made their one and only to date appearance in post season play. And he was there during the worst of times – as the team sunk to a league worst record last season. And Tuesday night John Davidson, director of hockey operations, decided it was enough. Davidson called Howson: "a caring man who gave everything he had to the Columbus Blue Jackets over the last six years", but said the move was necessary.
The former Edomonton Oilers assistant general manager became the Blue Jackets’s second general manager in June 2007, following General manager, president and sometime coach Doug Maclean. He hired and fired coaches Ken Hitchcock and Scott Arniel, and engineered several big deals that drew criticism from fans. Before the beginning of last season, Howson signed defenseman James Wisniewski, who has since struggled with injuries, and traded a first round pick and promising forward for the Philadelphia Flyers Jeff Carter, who was then dealt to LosAngeles later the same season. Last summer he arranged the trade of Rick Nash to the New York Rangers, after the Jackets captain made it known he wanted out. Some thought the writing was on the wall for Howson when John Davidson was hired away from the St. Louis Blues in October, in order to rebuild the franchise. An announcement about a replacement could come as early as today; the Jackets have scheduled a press conference for later this morning.
