Ken Hitchcock was named Head Coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 22, 2006. Hitchcock, 54, has compiled a 436-278-127 record in 816 regular season games with the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets during his NHL coaching career.

In eight full seasons behind the bench, he led his teams to six division titles (Dallas, Central Division: 1996-01; Philadelphia, Atlantic Division: 2003-04) and has a pair of second place finishes while recording at least 40 wins and 100 points in each of those campaigns. He has also led his teams to a 66-51 record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 16-7 mark in 1998-99 when he guided the Stars to the Stanley Cup championship.

Hitchcock began his professional coaching career as an assistant coach with the Flyers from 1990-93 before spending two-plus seasons as the head coach of the Kalamazoo Wings/Michigan K-Wings, Dallas' International Hockey League affiliate. He took over as head coach of the Stars midway through the 1995-96 season and in his first full season at the helm led them to the Central Division title. That year, Dallas became just the ninth team in NHL history to go from last place to first place in one season. The club's 38-point improvement from 66 to 104 was tied for the fifth-best in league history.

Hitchcock spent parts of five seasons in Dallas, compiling a 277-160-60 regular season record and 47-33 playoff mark. He led his teams to five-straight Central Division titles (1996-01), two President's Trophies (1997-98, 1998-99) and two Western Conference championships (1999, 2000) in addition to the 1999 Stanley Cup. He holds Stars franchise records for career wins (277), playoff wins (47), regular season winning percentage (.610) and playoff winning percentage (.588) and in 1998-99 led the club to franchise single season records for wins, points and highest winning percentage with a 51-19-12 mark.

On May 14, 2002, he was named Flyers head coach and led the club to a 131-73-50 record during the regular season and a 19-18 mark in the playoffs. Philadelphia posted three-straight 100-point seasons from 2002-06, captured the Atlantic Division title in 2003-04 and also advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals that year. On Mar. 21, 2006, Hitchcock guided the Flyers to a 2-1 win over New Jersey, becoming the fifth-fastest coach in NHL history to record 400 wins (736 games). He also served as an assistant coach for the Eastern Conference in the 2003 and 2004 All-Star Games.

The Edmonton, Alberta native has represented Canada at numerous international competitions. He served as an associate coach for Team Canada at the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Games, winning the gold medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. He helped Team Canada win the World Cup of Hockey Tournament in 2004 as an associate coach and was an assistant on gold medal-winning squads at the 2002 World Championships and the 1987 World Junior Championships.

During his successful stint with the Stars, he was nominated for the Jack Adams Award as "the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed most to his team's success" three times (1997, 1998, 1999) and served as the Western Conference's head coach in three All-Star Games (1997, 1998, 1999).

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Hitchcock was one of the winningest coaches in the history of the Western Hockey League. From 1984-90, he led the Kamloops Blazers to a 291-125-15 record with his .693 winning percentage ranking second in WHL history. He was the league's Coach of the Year in 1986-87 and 1989-90 and was also named the Canadian Major Junior Coach of the Year in 1989-90 after leading Kamloops to the WHL championship and a third place finish in the Memorial Cup Tournament.

Hitchcock was born on Dec. 17, 1951.

Gary Agnew served as Interim head coach from Nov. 14-22, 2006, posting an 0-4-1 mark in five games after Gerard Gallant was relieved of his duties. Agnew joined the Blue Jackets as an assistant coach in July 2006 after serving as the head coach of the Syracuse Crunch, the club's American Hockey League affiliate for the previous six seasons. During his tenure, he became the winningest and longest-serving coach in Crunch history as he led the club to a 200-177-43-40 mark in 480 games (.545 winning percentage).

Agnew, 46, guided the Crunch to its first division and regular season conference titles in 2001-02 with a 39-23-13-5 mark, which set a then club record for points in a season with 96. In 2005-06, Syracuse set numerous franchise marks including wins (47) and points (102).

Prior to joining the Crunch, he spent 10 seasons as a head coach in the Ontario Hockey League, the last three with the London Knights. Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Agnew began his coaching career with the London Knights in 1990-91 before moving to the Kingston Frontenacs in 1994-95. He returned to the Knights for the 1997-98 season and coached them to a Western Division Title. In 664 OHL games, he posted a 329-282-53 record and was named OHL Coach of the Year and First Team All-Star Coach in both the 1992-93 and 1997-98 seasons.

Before coaching, Agnew played for the University of New Brunswick (CIAU), Fredericton Express (AHL) and Milwaukee Admirals (IHL). He has a Masters' Degree in Coaching from the University of Western Ontario.

Gary and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of a son, Brett, and daughter, Lindsay. The family resides in Dublin.

Claude Noel joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant coach on June 28, 2007, after spending four seasons as the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Nashville Predators. During that time, he led the club to a 183-94-12-31 regular season record, three 100-point seasons and two West Division titles. He also compiled a 33-21 record in the Calder Cup Playoffs, including two appearances in the Finals (2004, 2006). During the 2003-04 season, the club compiled a 46-24-7-3 record and went 16-6 in the playoffs en route to capturing the organization’s first Calder Cup championship. That year, Noel was named the AHL’s Coach of the Year.

Noel, 51, made his coaching debut in the ECHL with the Roanoke Valley Rebels in 1990-91 and served as the head coach and director of hockey operations of the ECHL's Dayton Bombers from 1991-93. In 1993, he joined the Kalamazoo Wings (later Michigan K-Wings), International Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, as an assistant coach to current Blue Jackets Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. He succeeded Hitchcock behind the bench during the 1995-96 season and served in that capacity through the 1997-98 campaign. From 1998-02, he was an assistant coach with the Admirals and in 2002-03 was named ECHL Coach of the Year with the Toledo Storm before returning to Milwaukee as head coach prior to the 2003-04 season.

A native of Kirkland, Ontario, Noel appeared in seven games as a forward with the Washington Capitals during the 1979-80 season. He spent most of his playing career in the AHL and IHL and was named the latter's Most Valuable Player in 1982-83 after leading the Toledo Goaldiggers to the Turner Cup championship. He wrapped up his playing career with Milwaukee in 1987-88.

Noel and his wife, Lynda, are the parents of sons, Christopher and Sheldon.

Gord Murphy joined the Columbus Blue Jackets organization as an assistant coach on July 9, 2002 after an outstanding playing career that spanned 14 NHL seasons. As a defenseman with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers, he collected 85 goals and 238 assists for 323 points with 655 penalty minutes in 862 regular season games. His best campaign was 1993-94 when he notched a career-high 14-29-43 in 84 games with Florida. He also played in 53 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, tallying 3-16-19 and 35 penalty minutes. He played for the Panthers when they won the Eastern Conference championship and advanced to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals.

Murphy was Philadelphia's 10th selection, 189th overall, in the 1985 Entry Draft. He played junior hockey for the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team in 1986-87. He joined the professional ranks in 1987-88 with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears and helped the Flyers' affiliate win the 1988 Calder Cup Championship team.

He made his NHL debut in 1988-89 and spent three-plus years with Philadelphia before being traded to Boston to finish up the 1991-92 campaign. In the summer of 1993, Murphy was claimed in the Expansion Draft by the Panthers. He went on to play six seasons with Florida before going to the expansion Atlanta Thrashers in 1999. He wrapped up his career in 2001-02 with the Bruins and their American Hockey League affiliate in Providence.

Murphy was born in Willowdale, Ontario on Feb. 23, 1967. He and his wife, Nicole, are the parents of sons, Tyler and Connor, and daughter, Lexi. The family resides in Upper Arlington.

Clint Malarchuk joined the Blue Jackets as goaltending coach in August 2006 after spending three seasons in the same capacity with the Florida Panthers organization. From 2002-04, he worked with then-Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, who made his first All-Star Game appearance, set an NHL record for saves in a season (2,303) and was a finalist in voting for the Vezina Memorial Trophy in 2003-04. He spent 2004-05 as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Rampage, Florida's American Hockey League affiliate.

Malarchuk, 45, played 10 seasons in the NHL and compiled a 141-130-45 record with a 3.47 goals-against average (GAA), .885 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 338 games with the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres. He was the Nordiques' third pick, 74th overall in the 1981 Entry Draft. His best NHL season was 1985-86 when he compiled a 26-12-4 mark, 3.21 GAA and four shutouts in 46 games with Quebec. He also had 20 wins for Washington in 1987-88, going 24-20-4 with a 3.16 GAA and four shutouts in 54 outings.

A native of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Malarchuk also played in the AHL and International Hockey League during his 14-year career and won the AHL's Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award (fewest goals against) with Fredericton teammate Brian Ford in 1982-83 and the IHL's James Norris Memorial Trophy (fewest goals against) with San Diego teammate Rick Knickle in 1992-93.

Following his playing career, Malarchuk spent three seasons as an assistant general manager with the Thunder before being named the club's head coach late in the 1997-98 season. His coaching experience also includes serving as a head coach with the Idaho Steelheads of the West Coast Hockey League and as a goaltending coach with the WHL's Prince George Cougars.

Malarchuk and his wife, Joanie, reside on a ranch outside Garnerville, Nevada. He is the father of three children Kelli, Jed and Dallyn.

Barry Brennan joined the Blue Jackets as strength and conditioning coach prior to the 2005-06 season after spending four years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate club, the Syracuse Crunch. Prior to his stint with the Crunch, Brennan worked under Hall of Fame Head Coach and General Manager Brian Kilrea of the Ottawa 67's (OHL).

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Brennan is a Certified Specialist in Sport Conditioning (SSC) through the International Sports Science Association. In addition, he is a registered coach with Boxing Ontario and the Canadian Boxing Association and is also recognized by the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and with Hockey Canada's Trainer Certification Program (HTCP). He resides in German Village.

Dan Singleton joined the Blue Jackets in September 2000 as video coordinator. He came to Columbus after spending the previous six years as the video coordinator for the Michigan State University hockey team.

Born in Boulder, Colo., he grew up in Ottawa, Ontario. He attended McGill University in Montreal and earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1994. He then went to Michigan State, where he earned a master's degree in sports psychology in 1998. Singleton and his wife, Karin, and son, Braeden, reside in Gahanna.