Rick Bowness: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

2026 Blue Jackets Preseason Q&A with Head Coach Rick Bowness: Identity, Taking Ownership & Reaching Potential

Rick Bowness was happy in retirement. He’s in a good place health wise these days. But deep down, the passion to coach was still there. That’s why it didn’t take him very long to say yes to Don Waddell last winter when the phone call came.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

2026 Blue Jackets Preseason Q&A With GM Don Waddell, Part 2: Roster, Bowness & Taking the Next Step

In Part 1 of our conversation with Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell, we talked everything from last season’s frustrations to several key changes within the team.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Inside The Rink / August 14

The Early Season Schedule Favors The Columbus Blue Jackets

While it may mean little for the season’s longevity, the Columbus Blue Jackets open the season with seven of their first nine games at Nationwide Arena.

NHL News / Pro Hockey Rumors / June 30

Blue Jackets Promote Trent Vogelhuber To NHL Staff

The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially announced the promotion of Trent Vogelhuber, head coach of the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, to an assistant coaching role on Rick Bowness‘ NHL staff.

Macklin Celebrini News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Yardbarker / June 26

Blue Jackets facing crisis as their best players don't seem to want to stay

There might not be a team in the NHL with worse vibes right now than the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's not necessarily that the team is bad or that it is lacking in talent.

Zach Werenski's murky future with Blue Jackets the latest sign of changing NHL

With Alex Tuch off the market, who will be the best player to reach NHL free agency?

Maple Leafs made the right choice by taking Gavin McKenna No. 1 overall in NHL Draft

The 'Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks' quiz

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / NHL on ClutchPoints / May 21

Blue Jackets rumors: The UFA who surprisingly might not be re-signed this summer

The Columbus Blue Jackets missed the playoffs this year, which infuriated new head coach Rick Bowness. After the final game of the season, Bowness promised to change the culture in Columbus and signed a two-year extension.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / NHL on ClutchPoints / April 22

Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness says he went ‘overboard’ after viral rant

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2025-26 season ended in disappointing fashion, with the team losing nine of its last 11 games down the stretch to fail to qualify for the playoffs for a sixth straight campaign.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / NHL on ClutchPoints / April 21

3 early Blue Jackets trade candidates after missing 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Columbus Blue Jackets missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite a furious run in the second half. They fired Dean Evason in January, and Rick Bowness brought the Blue Jackets to the doorstep of the postseason.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / The Hockey Writers / April 17

Rick Bowness Returns as Blue Jackets’ Head Coach: 'I Want to Win Here'

The Columbus Blue Jackets were fresh off their day of exit interviews. The reality of how the end of their season was still fresh in everyone’s minds. To a man, most everyone within the organization believes they should be getting ready for playoff hockey.

NHL News / Oilersnation / April 16

NHL Notebook: First round of Oilers’ playoffs to begin Sunday or Monday, Blue Jackets sign Bowness to extension

The NHL released its 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule today with the Edmonton Oilers’ playoff position up in the air ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Vancouver Canucks.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / NHL Trade Talk / April 16

Bowness Gets New Deal with Blue Jackets After Tirade

“I don’t know if I’m back (as coach next season),” Rick Bowness said while he appeared to be holding back more emotion than he was clearly showing after another ugly performance.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Daily Faceoff / April 16

Report: Rick Bowness to return as Blue Jackets coach

Despite a disastrous end, and a spirited message, there doesn’t look to be much changing behind the bench in Ohio’s capital. According to a report from The Athletic, Rick Bowness will be returning as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2026-27 season.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most yards through two NFL seasons' quiz

The 'Women's U.S. Open champions' quiz

The '4,500-yard, 15-INT NFL seasons' quiz

The 'Most 10-TD catch NFL seasons' quiz

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Field Level Media / April 16

Report: Rick Bowness agrees to extension with Blue Jackets

Rick Bowness has agreed to a contract extension to remain as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, TSN reported Thursday morning. The Blue Jackets scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon with general manager Don Waddell and Bowness.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Pro Hockey Rumors / April 16

Rick Bowness speaks out after getting new contract with Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets have agreed to an extension with head coach Rick Bowness.

Columbus Blue Jackets' losing culture is becoming major problem

Bowness’ frustration with Blue Jackets’ effort is understandable

Craig Berube expects to return as Leafs coach in 2026-27

Craig Berube completely failed in his mandate to change, elevate talented Leafs squad

NHL News / Yardbarker / April 15

Columbus Blue Jackets' losing culture is becoming major problem

It can be very difficult to get a sense for the mood around a team unless you are actually in their locker room every day and seeing things up close and personal. But sometimes there are hints and clues when an environment has turned rotten, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are showing a lot of them.

‘Losing doesn’t bother them’: Blue Jackets coach Bowness slams team as their season ends

Bowness’ frustration with Blue Jackets’ effort is understandable

Blackhawks sign GM Kyle Davidson to contract extension

The NHL’s offseason chaos index: Who could shake up the league?

The '1976-77 Montreal Canadiens' quiz

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Daily Faceoff / April 15

Bowness’ frustration with Blue Jackets’ effort is understandable

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness didn’t hold back following the team’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals Tuesday night. “All you got to do is look at the stat sheet.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / NHL Trade Talk / April 15

Will the Blue Jackets Support Rick Bowness After Post-Game Tirade?

“If I’m back, I’m changing this culture,” said Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness on Tuesday night. Clearly emotional and unsure if the organization was going to re-up his contract for next season, Bowness didn’t care.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Daily Faceoff / April 14

‘Losing doesn’t bother them’: Blue Jackets coach Bowness slams team as their season ends

With the season now in the rearview mirror, Rick Bowness wasted no time calling out his players. In the wake of a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach spoke on the team and the culture problems surrounding them to close out the year.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / The Hockey Writers / April 14

Blue Jackets’ Coach Rick Bowness Calls Out Team Culture in Postgame Tirade

The Columbus Blue Jackets played their final game of the 2025-26 regular season. It was a meaningless game in the standings with the Washington Capitals after both teams were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.

NHL News / Yardbarker / April 2

In or out: Assessing which NHL teams will secure the final playoff spots

The NHL playoff race is coming down to the wire, with several teams in both the East and West battling for the last remaining spots.

Macklin Celebrini's historic achievements are following in Sidney Crosby's footsteps

Senators' brutal mistake leads to the fastest goal in Panthers history

Can the Senators trust their goaltending?

The '2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes' quiz

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Daily Faceoff / March 26

Has Rick Bowness emerged as a candidate for the Jack Adams?

There are a number of coaches who are certainly deserving of the Jack Adams Award this year, but one man has been able to make himself a candidate for how he helped a floundering team turn things around midseason.

The Blue Jackets continue to pass every test sent their way

The 'All-time points leader by NHL team' quiz

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Pro Hockey Rumors / March 19

Blue Jackets Will Wait Until Summer To Discuss Rick Bowness’ Future

The Columbus Blue Jackets became the first team to fire their coach this season when they parted ways with Dean Evason in early January. Columbus immediately hired veteran head coach Rick Bowness as an interim head coach and have posted a 16-2-4 record – second-best in the NHL – ever since.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Professor Press Box / March 18

The Wake-Up Call to Rick Bowness That Saved the Blue Jackets

I’ve got to say, I’ve been a fan of Rick Bowness for a long time. I really came to appreciate him back when he was with the Winnipeg Jets. He left the team for a while because his wife was ill; he wanted to be there for her, and you can’t argue with that.

Columbus Blue Jackets News / Breakaway on SI / March 15