Rick Bowness, the interim head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, is clearly relishing his return to the NHL. Reflecting on his decision to come out of retirement, Bowness shared, “This has been a lot of fun.
Am I glad I came out of retirement to do this? Absolutely.”
But for Bowness, it's not just about the wins. “I’m associating it with what I missed the most.
That was working with the players and spending time with them.”
Despite the joy of being back, Bowness remains laser-focused on the task at hand. “I’m not taking my mind off what we have to do today and tomorrow.
We’ll deal with this at the end of the year. All the focus should be on what we have to do to get this team into the playoffs.”
Bowness took the reins on January 12, stepping in for Dean Evason. At that time, the Blue Jackets were struggling, sitting last in the Eastern Conference and seven points shy of a playoff spot after just missing out the previous season.
Under Bowness’ leadership, the team has transformed dramatically, boasting a 19-3-4 record since his arrival and improving to 38-22-11 overall. As they prepare for Thursday night’s matchup against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre, Columbus finds itself in a strong position, sitting second in the Metropolitan Division. The turnaround has been nothing short of impressive, showcasing Bowness' ability to connect with his players and inspire a winning culture.