Rick Bowness was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets last January, and what he did with a team that was dead last in the Eastern Conference was remarkable.
Of course, the season didn’t end as they had planned, as they fell just short for a second season straight. Rick Bowness was and is the best coach for this team at the time.
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The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau has been ranking the NHL head coaches starting at 32 and working his way down. Proteau has CBJ Head Coach Rick Bowness listed at #14 on his list.
He had this to say about Bowness: “Rick Bowness infamously went off on his Columbus Blue Jackets players late in the season. But Columbus GM Don Waddell supported Bowness by signing him to a one-year contract extension.”
“Bowness is 71 years old, but he showed this past season he could still succeed as an NHL coach, as he put together a 21-11-5 record in 37 games. Columbus narrowly missed the playoffs, but Bowness has a mandate to push his group into the post-season in 2026-27. He’s a no-nonsense coach who can provide structure and stability.”
You can read the list below.
NHL Coach Rankings: No. 15 Through 11 Includes Two Jack Adams Trophy Finalists
NHL Coach Rankings: No. 15 Through 11 Includes Two Jack Adams Trophy Finalists This next increment of ranking the NHL’s 32 head coaches, from No. 15 through 11, includes two Jack Adams Trophy finalists of this past year.
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Rick Bowness will have a full offseason and training camp to prepare his team for the 2026-27 season. On paper, though, his team didn’t get much better. Waddell made a trade for Val Nichushkin, a big power forward who is fast and has skill. Ideally, he will play on the top line with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko, and will be considered one of the fastest lines in all of the NHL.
His defense is staying the exact same, along with the goaltending, barring any late summer changes.
Can Head Coach Rick Bowness get this same team to make another push for the playoffs? The schedule for the Blue Jackets is very favorable, with 7 of the first 9 games in October at home and 5 of the first 6 in November at home.
Getting a decent start has plagued this franchise every year of its existence. Can they change that this year with a good leader behind the bench?
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