The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre for not being “able to perform the duties required of him given current NHL protocols” due to his decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The team announced that it will replace Lefebvre with Cleveland Monsters associate coach Steve McCarthy.
“While we are disappointed, we respect that this decision is a personal one for Sylvain and wish him well,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “We feel fortunate to have an outstanding coach join our club in Steve McCarthy, who has played in this league, won championships as a player and been an important member of our hockey operations department as an assistant coach in Cleveland.”
McCarthy, 40, spent the last five seasons with the Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate. Before that, he played professionally for 16 years, including eight years in the NHL from 1999-2008.
(Photo: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)
