The Columbus Blue Jackets fired general manager Jarmo Kekalainen on Thursday, ending his time on the job after more than a decade. President of hockey operations John Davidson made the call midway through Kekalainen’s 11th full season on the job and three weeks before the trade deadline. Davidson and the hockey operations team will assume GM duties on an interim basis until a full-time replacement is hired. Ownership, after Kekalainen and Davidson named Pascal Vincent coach following the Babcock fiasco, said in September there would not be any front office changes at that time. Kekalainen inherited Todd Richards as coach, and Columbus reached the playoffs in his first full season in 2013-14.

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Persons: Jarmo Kekalainen, John Davidson, Kekalainen, Davidson, ” Davidson, It’s, Mike Babcock, Pascal Vincent, Babcock, Jarmo, John P, McConnell, “, Louis, Doug Armstrong, Kevin Cheveldayoff, Scott Howson, Todd Richards, Richards, John Tortorella, Brad Larsen, Vincent —, Larsen, Vincent, Johnny Gaudreau, ___ Organizations: Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL, Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Blues, Columbus, Stanley Locations: Kekalainen’s