Todd Richards got a vote of confidence from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The club signed Richards to a one-year contract extension through the 2014-15 season. The 46-year-old Richards has a record of 42-38-9 with the Blue Jackets, including a 24-17-7 mark and franchise-best .573 winning percentage in 2012-13. The club, last in the NHL after its first 19 games, went 19-5-5 to the finish and tied for eighth in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs on a tie-breaker with Minnesota. "We believe Todd is one of the top young coaches in our game and he has had a steadying influence on our team since taking over as head coach in January 2012," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "The hard work put in by Todd and our coaching staff has been a big reason for our team's improved play and we are excited that he will continue to serve as our head coach." Read more http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9434104/columbus-blue-jackets-sign-coach-todd-richards-extension
