Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness agrees to return next season

It didn’t take long for the 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 on Jan. 12.

鈥淚f you look at the body of work that happened here over the last 37 games, I鈥檓 very pleased with Rick鈥檚 work. I鈥檝e said all along that the strengths of this organization from a coaching standpoint has been the communication he鈥檚 had with the players and getting them ready to play on a regular basis,鈥� President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell said during a news conference. 鈥淚t鈥檚 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鈥檙e all hoping he鈥檇 come back for another year.鈥�

The Blue Jackets were in last place in the Eastern Conference when Bowness arrived. They went 18-2-4 in Bowness鈥� first 24 games and moved into a playoff spot after collecting a point in 12 straight games.

But Columbus , 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 to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. He on the team’s effort and that 鈥渓osing is not important enough to them. It doesn鈥檛 bother them.”

He also said that if he was back “we鈥檙e changing this freaking culture. I鈥檝e been around long enough to know. I鈥檒l find ways. I鈥檝e got enough experience. I鈥檝e dealt with this. I鈥檝e dealt with it before. If we鈥檙e back, we鈥檒l straighten it out.鈥�

Bowness and Waddell said the comments were not a surprise to the players, since they heard the same thing before he addressed the media.

鈥淩ick speaks from his heart. It was very passionate what he said and he cares and from a general manager standpoint, that鈥檚 what he asked for,鈥� Waddell said. 鈥淪ince Rick鈥檚 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鈥檓 good with everything that鈥檚 happened.鈥�

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.

鈥淣ow I have a reference point to them and I can go to them in October and I can go to them in November 鈥榯hat鈥檚 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.鈥� So that helps. That seed has been planted,鈥� 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鈥檚 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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