COLUMBUS, Ohio — If not for Browns coach Freddie Kitchens, the most embattled coach in Ohio might be Blue Jackets assistant Brad Larsen.



For almost three years now, the Blue Jackets power play has coughed and hacked its way to abysmal numbers, but Saturday, it did more harm than good in a brutal 7-4 loss to Philadelphia.



Most NHL assistants toil under the radar, getting little of the glory in good times and little of the scorn when it goes sideways. But Larsen has become a reviled target by some in the Blue Jackets’ fan base.



“It’s bullshit,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “Absolute bullshit.”



Tortorella kept Larsen on his staff when he joined the Blue Jackets early in the 2015-16 season, and he kept him in place later when he could have asked to replace him.



Asked why he’s stuck with Larsen as his power-play coach, Tortorella did not hold back.



“Because he’s a...