It is done.

According to the Dispatch's Aaron Portzline:

#CBJ fire Ken Hitchcock

And with that, a chapter closes in the brief history of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

This is not a happy moment.  A moment of relief, perhaps, and a chance for hope that things will get better for the CBJ - but by no means happy.  You never want to see a good man, one who puts everything he has into his work, lose his job when losing his job means that he failed.  And Hitch is a good man.

I only hope that Hitch finds his new place in the hockey world quickly, and that the Columbus Blue Jackets make the smart steps forward to secure their very bright future.  Anyone who followed the team closely this year could see that it just wasn't meant to be.

More on this later, I'm sure.

Thank you, Hitch, for all you did for my team.  

UPDATE: The official CBJ statement on Hitch's firing.