Story Summary
Rick Bowness has delivered a sharp challenge to the Columbus Blue Jackets after their early defensive problems left them tied for the third-highest goals-against average in the NHL.
Speaking before Columbus host the New York Rangers on Saturday, Bowness said everyone connected to the club “should be very angry with where we are”. The Blue Jackets have allowed 4.20 goals per game through five outings and sit 30th in the League in goals against.
Columbus are 2-3-0 and have conceded at least three goals in four of their first five games. Their latest outing was a 7-3 home loss to the Florida Panthers, following a 5-3 defeat at the St. Louis Blues.
Bowness did not limit his frustration to the players. He said he was angry with himself as well as the team’s position, while identifying a need for more games and better-paced practices to put matters right. The 71-year-old coach said the Blue Jackets would fix the issue, but made clear that their present standard was unacceptable.
Key Facts
- Rick Bowness said everyone associated with the Columbus Blue Jackets “should be very angry with where we are”.
- The Blue Jackets have allowed 4.20 goals per game, tied for the third most in the NHL, and rank 30th in goals against.
- Columbus are 2-3-0 through five games, tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the fewest games played in the NHL.
- The Blue Jackets have allowed at least three goals in four of their five games.
- Columbus last played in a 7-3 home loss to the Florida Panthers, after a 5-3 loss at the St. Louis Blues.
- Bowness said Columbus need more games and practices with greater pace to straighten out their defensive issues.
- Bowness was hired as Blue Jackets coach on Jan. 12 last season, replacing Dean Evason, and signed a contract on April 16 to return this season.
- The Blue Jackets went 21-11-15 under Bowness last season after standing 19-19-7 when he took over, finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Division.
- Bowness has coached in 2,768 NHL games, including interim and assistant-coaching duties, the most in NHL history.
IHM Discussion
Bowness’s message is notable less for its volume than for its clarity. He has placed goals against at the centre of Columbus’s early-season problem, rather than allowing the club’s 2-3-0 record to soften the judgement. A 4.20 goals-against average is a difficult number to carry at any stage, and Bowness’s emphasis on being 30th in the League shows that he sees the issue as a team-wide standard rather than a shortcoming belonging to one individual.
His response also follows a familiar line. Last season, after Columbus were eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention, Bowness publicly questioned his players’ reaction to losing and said that, if he returned, he would change the culture. He did return after signing his contract in April, and his latest comments again connect performance with professional preparation and competitive accountability.
There is a distinction, however, between identifying an unacceptable start and claiming an immediate solution. Bowness did not offer a quick fix. He said the team need games, need better practices and need greater pace in those sessions. That keeps the focus on the work required rather than on a promised turnaround.
The record from last season supplies important context. Columbus posted a 21-11-15 mark after Bowness took over in January, despite sitting 19-19-7 at the time of the coaching change. That history does not erase the present defensive figures, but it explains why his confidence that the group can improve is grounded in a previous stretch behind the same bench.
Why It Matters
Columbus have played only five games, but their defensive record has already produced a clear pressure point. Conceding three or more goals in four outings leaves little margin for error elsewhere in the lineup, particularly when consecutive losses have come by 7-3 and 5-3 scores.
The Rangers fixture is therefore an immediate checkpoint for the Blue Jackets’ response. Bowness has openly set the standard: greater anger at the current position, stronger preparation and practices conducted with more pace. The next performance will be watched through that lens, not because one game can settle the issue, but because the coach has made accountability central to the discussion.
It also matters that Bowness’s comments include himself. By saying he is mad at himself, he has framed the problem as an organisational hockey issue rather than simply a public rebuke of the dressing room. That still leaves the players with a direct challenge, especially after he said a lack of embarrassment at the Panthers loss would be unacceptable.
Mini Q&A
Why is Rick Bowness angry with the Blue Jackets?
Bowness is frustrated that Columbus are 30th in the NHL in goals against and have allowed 4.20 goals per game, tied for the third-highest average in the League.
What is the Blue Jackets’ record this season?
Columbus are 2-3-0 through five games.
Who do the Blue Jackets play next?
The Blue Jackets host the New York Rangers on Saturday at Nationwide Arena.
What did Bowness say Columbus need to improve?
He said the Blue Jackets need more games and better practices with greater pace to straighten things out.
Coach Mark Comment
The most useful part of Bowness’s response is the emphasis on practice pace. When a team is conceding heavily, the answer cannot simply be to defend more cautiously in theory; players must repeatedly execute their work at game speed. Columbus have allowed at least three goals in four of five games, so the immediate coaching task is to make the habits that prevent extended defensive breakdowns consistent enough to hold under pressure. Bowness has been unequivocal about the standard, and the Rangers game offers the first chance to show whether that message has translated into a more controlled team performance.
What Comes Next
Columbus host the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena on Saturday. It will be the Blue Jackets’ first game since the 7-3 loss to Florida and the next opportunity to respond to Bowness’s demand for better preparation and a reduction in goals against.
IHM Final View
Bowness has not disguised the scale of Columbus’s early concern. The Blue Jackets are five games into the season, but their place near the bottom of the NHL in goals against has prompted a forceful response from a coach with extensive experience and a recent history of demanding more from this group. Saturday’s meeting with the Rangers is not a verdict on the season, but it is a meaningful early test of how Columbus answer a challenge their coach has made impossible to misunderstand.