Hitchcock Signed for Three More Years
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

Newly signed Blue Jacket restricted free agent center R.J. Umberger raved about being reacquainted with former Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock after signing a four-year deal on Monday.

Now the two will be together in Columbus for the length of his contract.

The Blue Jackets have extended Hitchcock’s contract for three years, keeping him in town through the 2011-12 NHL season.

“Ken is at or near the top of anyone’s list when it comes to NHL coaches,” Jackets General Manager Scott Howson said. “He has brought creditability, presence and structure to our team.”

Howson said that Hitchcock is the face of the franchise and that it was essential in signing him to a long-term contract for the stability of the team.

The 56-year-old coach said that the challenge of building a playoff and championship team is what initially brought him to Columbus. In Dallas and Philadelphia, Hitch came in to established teams where building was not necessary.

“I’ve never had a challenge like this—since 1984, I’ve always come into a team ready-made or close to ready-made,” he said. “I wanted this challenge. It’s the biggest challenge our (Howson and Hitchcock’s) lives.”

Hitchcock became coach of the Blue Jackets on Nov. 22, 2006 after Gerard Gallant was fired. The late Jackets owner John McConnell said that day that Hitchcock was the guy “who was going to save the franchise.”

When Howson was hired a little over a year ago, he and Hitchcock immediately got on the same page as to what kind of team they wanted to build. Last summer, with the hefty contracts of Adam Foote and Sergei Fedorov, Howson’s hands were tied. After last season, an edict from team president Mike Priest was set—win now at all costs.

Howson has made more than a splash in the last month between the NHL Draft and free agency.

He traded for Umberger at the Draft and acquired left winger Raffi Torres and defenseman Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. Howson also signed free agent defenseman Mike Commodore, right winger Kristian Huselius and resigned Michael Peca.

“Our culture has changed drastically,” Hitchcock said. “These players are committed to the team and the seriousness of winning. We will have a belief system that we can play with anyone.”

With that said, the veteran coach would not predict a playoff appearance for the 2008-09 season.

“Making the playoffs means pushing established teams out. They are not going to go away easy. You are going to need to stick a stake right through them to push them out,” he said. “I can’t sit here and say we’re going to get in the playoffs. But I know one thing, right now when our team plays to the top level and another team plays to the top level we can compete against anybody every night now.”

In the year-plus that Hitch has behind the bench he as compiled a 62-65-17 record in building a gritty, physical team. Last season, the Jackets set franchise marks in wins (34) and points (80) in going 34-36-12 with a under talented team. That team finished 11 points from the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Overall Hitchcock is 470-314-117 and won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999.