The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Monday that assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre, who declined to get a COVID-19 vaccination, has been released from his job.
Lefebvre was canned and replaced by Steve McCarthy because “Lefebvre has decided not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and thus will not be able to perform the duties required of him given current NHL protocols,” the team said, according to CTV News.
“While we are disappointed, we respect that this decision is a personal one for Sylvain and wish him well,” the team’s statement read. “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.”
Lefebvre, was an NHL defensemen and a coach in the American Hockey League for about ten years. He had only signed on with the Bluejackets in July.
“Steve has done a great job working with our young defensemen in Cleveland the past five years and is ready for this opportunity,” Bluejackets coach Brad Larsen said.
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