The Blue Jackets philosophy for growing its team is rooted in drafting the right players and developing from within. A key piece to executing that strategy lives in Cleveland with the Cleveland Monsters AHL team and head coach, John Madden.
"It's one of the most important jobs in the organization," John Tortorella said. "That American League job as a coach and a trainer, as an organization (the job is) to have people ready. We're thrilled about the proximity and how it's gone along there."
Madden is in his first year as head coach of the Monsters. He joins the club having won three Stanley Cup Championships and a Frank J. Selke Trophy during a 13-year NHL career and with three years of experience as an assistant coach with the Florida Panthers.
Madden also played 149 games in the AHL in his career, and he takes the responsibility of developing the players he has into NHL-caliber athletes very seriously.
John Madden preparing Monsters for the NHL
First-year head coach developing key prospects in Cleveland