Blue Jackets fire Evason, hire Bowness to revive struggling NHL team
The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired head coach Dean Evason after two seasons with the team. Rick Bowness, formerly of the Winnipeg Jets, will now take over behind the bench. The change comes as the Blue Jackets struggle near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Evason’s departure was announced on Monday, along with the dismissal of assistant coach Steve McCarthy. His record with the Blue Jackets stood at 59-52-16 over 127 games. The team has not reached the playoffs since the 2019-20 season and currently sits seven points behind the second wild-card spot.
The Blue Jackets hold a 19-19-7 record this season, placing them last in the Eastern Conference. Evason’s tenure began under difficult circumstances, as star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother died in a bicycle accident just over a month after Evason was named coach.
Bowness arrives with recent success, having led the Winnipeg Jets from 2022 to 2024. Under his guidance, the Jets achieved a 98-57-9 record in 164 games and secured back-to-back playoff appearances. His overall NHL coaching record spans 803 games, with 310 wins, 408 losses, 37 overtime losses, and 48 ties.
The Blue Jackets will host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, marking Bowness’s first game in charge.
Bowness steps into a team facing an uphill battle to reach the postseason. The Blue Jackets have struggled for consistency, and the new coaching staff will need to address their current form. The next game against Calgary will be the first test under the new leadership.
