Columbus Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced several changes to the club’s hockey operations department today.
Aron Augustitus has been promoted to video coach and Cam Briere has joined the organization as assistant video coach. In addition, Paul DeFazio has been named head equipment manager, Inar Treiguts has been hired as a massage therapist, Anthony and Matthew Donskov have been named development coaches, and Ty Eigner has joined the club as a special assignment scout.
Augustitus spent the 2024-25 campaign as the team’s video assistant coach and four seasons as a video assistant from 2020-24. Briere joins the Blue Jackets after serving as the video coach of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners from 2021-25, as well as director of hockey operations in 2024-25.
DeFazio served in various capacities in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization for 27 years, including as an assistant equipment manager with the Penguins from 2018-25 as well as from 2001-13. He was also the head equipment manager of the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for five seasons from 2013-18. Treiguts previously served as a massage therapist for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings from 2011-20 and Atlanta Thrashers from 1999-2011.
The Donskovs served as guest coaches at the club’s last two development camps and have trained athletes from mites to the professional level in central Ohio for 25 years as part of Donskov Hockey Development. Eigner served as a coach at Bowling Green State University for 14 seasons from 2010-24, including as the team’s head coach for six campaigns from 2019-24.
