The Columbus Blue Jackets have added Josef Boumedienne to Head Coach Pascal Vincent’s staff as an assistant coach, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. The team has also signed assistant coaches Jared Boll and Steve McCarthy to one-year contract extensions through the 2024-25 NHL season.
"I am extremely excited to add Josef Boumedienne to the coaching staff and continue our work with Steve McCarthy and Jared Boll," said Vincent. "We complement each other well but we're not afraid to challenge each other for the betterment of the team. They will especially be a huge benefit for our players.”
Boumedienne, 45, has served in various capacities in several hockey operations departments since retiring as a player following the 2012-13 season. He originally joined the Blue Jackets as its European scout on July 8, 2013 before serving as the director of European scouting from 2016-21 and director of pro scouting during the past two seasons. Internationally, he is currently serving as the assistant general manager for the Swedish National Team through the 2025-26 hockey season.
A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Boumedienne enjoyed a 17-year playing career in North America and Europe from 1996-2013 that concluded with HC Slovan Bratislava in Russia’s KHL. After being selected by New Jersey in the fourth round, 91st overall, at the 1996 NHL Draft, he played in the NHL and American Hockey League from 2000-04 and 2007-09, collecting 4-12-16 and 36 penalty minutes in 47 career NHL games with New Jersey, Tampa Bay and Washington and 33-143-176 and 443 penalty minutes in 295 career AHL games.
Boll, 37, has served on the Blue Jackets coaching staff since 2018, first as an assistant development coach and then as an assistant coach. He retired as a player following the 2017-18 campaign, having registered 28-38-66 with 1,298 penalty minutes in 579 games during his 11-year NHL career with the Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Boll was selected by Columbus in the fourth round, 101st overall, at the 2005 NHL Draft and spent nine seasons with the club, tallying 27-35-62 and 1195 PIM in 518 games from 2007-16.
McCarthy, 42, joined the Blue Jackets coaching staff as an assistant coach on Sept. 13, 2021 after spending five seasons as an assistant coach with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. Prior to joining the Monsters staff, the Trail, British Columbia native enjoyed a 16-year playing career that included eight NHL seasons between 1999-2008. Selected by Chicago in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 1999 NHL Draft, he registered 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points with 168 penalty minutes in 302 career NHL games with the Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Thrashers.
The Blue Jackets open their 23rd regular season vs. the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, October 12. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio begins with an expanded edition of the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6 p.m. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
