Clark will not return as Blue Jackets goaltending coach

After seven seasons working with Blue Jackets netminders, goaltending coach Ian Clark's tenure with the franchise is coming to a close.
Clark will not sign a new contract with the Blue Jackets after his current deal ends July 1, which was a "mutual decision," according to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who is in Denmark attending the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship.
"It was just time for both sides to go in a new direction," Kekalainen said.
That decision means next season will be the first time goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and backup Joonas Korpisalo will work with someone other than Clark in Columbus.
"This is not a negative story," Clark told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who first reported the news Friday. "I'm ready to move on, take on some new challenges. It's time. Sometimes change is good."
Clark told the Athletic in a report Friday that he began telling people with the team about the decision earlier this month and that he will soon meet with John Davidson, the president of hockey operations.

Clark previously worked with the Florida Panthers (2001-02) and Vancouver Canucks (2002-2010) and told The Athletic he didn't have another job lined up yet. That report also said he began informing "team personnel" of his decision not to re-sign earlier this month, including Bobrovsky.
Clark will remain with the franchise through the end of his contract, working to help put together scouting reports for the 2018 NHL Draft in June.
Known as a leading instructor in the goaltending world, Clark was hired by the Blue Jackets on June 6, 2011, a year before Bobrovsky was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for a package of draft picks. During his tenure, Bobrovsky flourished, winning the Vezina Trophy twice as the NHL's best goaltender, in 2013 and 2017.
He had another strong showing in net this season, despite making a career-high 65 starts.
Bobrovsky went 37-22-6 with a 2.42 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and five shutouts. He also made a handful of incredible saves, including two in consecutive games to begin a six-game winning streak in November.
"I don't want to get into a private conversation that 'Bob,' and I had, but 'Bob,' and I are close," Clark told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "'Bob,' and I worked very closely with one another for six years and he's a very important part of the growth of our franchise."
Bobrovsky's well-documented struggles in previous appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs didn't fully materialize in the Blue Jackets' first-round loss to the Washington Capitals, but he did allow a couple of tough goals in a 6-3 loss that ended the series in Game 6 on April 23 at Nationwide Arena.
After the game, Bobrovsky said he played well in the series overall and bristled about a past suggestion from the media that he consult with a sports psychologist to help improve his game in the postseason.
"Everyone has to step forward, including 'Bob,'" Clark told Sportsnet. "I expect nothing other than he will continue to climb. He wants to do it. He's such a competitor. When things aren't good around him, he tries to do too much, with good intent. He wants to anchor the team, but will work to become more compact, calmer and trusting of what is going around him. There is no doubt he will still be one of the best."