The Columbus Blue Jackets have named Rick Bowness of Moncton, New Brunswick as their new head coach according to Rogers Sportsnet on Tuesday. Bowness replaces Dean Evason of Flin Flon, Manitoba.
Columbus is tied with the Ottawa Senators for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have 45 points. Columbus’s record is 19 wins, 19 regulation losses and seven losses in extra time.
One area of concern for the Blue Jackets this season has been goals against. Their 153 goals against are the most in the Eastern Conference.
Bowness has been coaching in the National Hockey League for 803 games since 1988-89. He actually retired on May 6, 2024, but has decided to come out of retirement.
To begin his NHL coaching career, Bowness coached the original Winnipeg Jets (before the franchise moved to Phoenix) during the 1988-89 season. He also coached the Boston Bruins (1991 to 1992), the Ottawa Senators (1992 to 1996), the New York Islanders (1996 to 1998), the Phoenix Coyotes (2003 to 2004). the Dallas Stars (2019 to 2022), and the current Winnipeg Jets (2022 to 2024). He has a record of 310 wins, 408 losses, 48 ties, and generated a point for his team with 37 losses in extra time.
Despite a losing record, Bowness has had great success in recent years. He led the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final and won 52 games with the Jets in 2023-24.