The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Sylvain Lefebvre to a three-year contract to serve as an assistant coach on head coach Brad Larsen’s staff.
Lefebvre, 53, joins the Blue Jackets after serving as an assistant coach with the American Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls for the past three seasons. Prior to his tenure in San Diego, he was a head coach in the AHL for six seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs (2012-15), St. John’s IceCaps (2015-17) and Laval Rocket (2017-18). He began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Lake Erie Monsters from 2007-09 and was an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-12.
“Sylvain was an honest, hard-working defenseman who was undrafted out of junior, but turned himself into a player with over 1,000 NHL regular season and playoff games and a leader on a Stanley Cup championship team,” said Larsen. “He brings that same dedication and work ethic to coaching and will be a great asset for our players and our coaching staff.”
Lefebvre made his pro debut with the AHL’s Sherbrooke Canadiens during the 1987 Calder Cup Playoffs and spent two full seasons in Sherbrooke before making it to the NHL in 1989-90. He also had a stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2001-02, appearing in 15 games. The Richmond, Que., native appeared in 945 career NHL games as a defenseman over 14 seasons from 1989-2003, registering 30 goals and 154 assists for 184 points with Montreal, Toronto, Quebec/Colorado and the New York Rangers.
