It didn't take long for the Columbus Blue Jackets to decide if Rick Bowness would return as coach.
The team announced Thursday that Bowness agreed to a deal to be behind the bench for the 2026-27 season.
Bowness led Columbus to a 21-11-5 record after taking over for Dean Evason on Jan. 12.
“If you look at the body of work that happened here over the last 37 games, I’m very pleased with Rick’s work. I’ve said all along that the strengths of this organization from a coaching standpoint has been the communication he’s had with the players and getting them ready to play on a regular basis,” President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell said during a news conference. “It’s always interesting when you do make changes how players are going to respond. Through all the exit meetings that have happened so far, every player to a man said they love playing for Rick, they respect Rick and they’re all hoping he’d come back for another year.”
The Blue Jackets were in last place in the Eastern Conference when Bowness arrived. They went 18-2-4 in Bowness’ first 24 games and moved into a playoff spot after collecting a point in 12 straight games.
But Columbus struggled down the stretch, going 3-9-1 to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth straight season.
Bowness gave his players a lot to think about after a 2-1 season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. He launched into a 3-minute rant on the team's effort and that “losing is not important enough to them. It doesn’t bother them."
He also said that if he was back "we’re changing this freaking culture. I’ve been around long enough to know. I’ll find ways. I’ve got enough experience. I’ve dealt with this. I’ve dealt with it before. If we’re back, we’ll straighten it out.”
Bowness and Waddell said the comments were not a surprise to the players, since they heard the same thing before he addressed the media.
“Rick speaks from his heart. It was very passionate what he said and he cares and from a general manager standpoint, that’s what he asked for,” Waddell said. “Since Rick’s been here, I knew that he was all in on this. I give players the opportunity (to discuss the comments during end-of-season meetings) and to a man I heard only positive things, so I’m good with everything that’s happened.”
Bowness added on Thursday that he might have pushed things a little too far, and that he held himself as much accountable for the late-season struggles as he did the players.
“Now I have a reference point to them and I can go to them in October and I can go to them in November ‘that’s the stuff that hurts us in March and April that you will not get away with then and you will not get away with in the playoffs.’ So that helps. That seed has been planted,” he said.
Bowness is expected to be the league's oldest coach at 71 when next season begins. He has a 331-419-48-42 record in stints with the Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets (twice), Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins.
Columbus went 40-30-12 this season, the first time it has posted 40 games two straight seasons since 2018-19. The 92 points this season are the fifth-highest point total in club history, but the first time the team had at least 90 points and didn't make the playoffs.
The Blue Jackets have Zach Werenski, who led the team with 81 points and is among the favorites for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.
Center Charlie Coyle and left wing Mason Marchment, along with captain Boone Jenner, will be unrestricted free agents. Adam Fantilli, the third pick in the 2023 draft, is a restricted free agent in line for a lucrative extension.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
