Columbus Blue Jackets agree to contract extension with coach Rick Bowness

Rick Bowness agreed to a one-year contract extension to remain as coach of the Blue Jackets, team president and general manager Don Waddell said on Thursday, April 16. "If you look at the body of work that happened here over the last 37 games, I'm very pleased with Rick's work," Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager Don Waddell said. "I've said all along the strengths of this organization from a coaching standpoint has been the communication he's had with the players and getting the players ready to play on a regular basis.

" More Blue Jackets news: Coach Rick Bowness rips team after playoff miss: 'They don't care' Bowness, 71, took over the bench from Dean Evason on Jan. 12 and guided the Jackets to a 21-11-5 record that nearly took them from last in the Eastern Conference when he accepted the job to a playoff spot. In fact, they climbed as high as second in the Metropolitan Division before a 3-9-1 finish.

"It's always interesting when you do make changes, how players are going to respond, and even through all the exit meetings that have happened so far, every player to a man said they loved playing for Rick, they respect Rick and they were all hoping he'd come back for another year," Waddell said. "So, we're very pleased to announce that signing. " Bowness' first season ended with some turbulence after his meltdown following a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in a season finale that didn't mean anything to either team in the standings.

After bashing a wall outside the interview room at Nationwide Arena, presumably with a hockey stick, Bowness boiled over at a news conference that prompted pushback from pl a yers the next day. “All you’ve got to do is look at the stat sheet,” Bowness said after the final game. “Three hits.