Former Jets head coach Rick Bowness returns to coaching, takes over in Columbus

Former Jets head coach Rick Bowness has been retired since May of 2024 after spending two years working in Winnipeg helping them to 46 and 52 win seasons. That regular season success did not translate in the playoffs as both seasons his team was bounced in the first round.

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

Since stepping away Bowness has been doing TV appearances as an analyst. As recently as last week he went on 100% Hockey Podcast and spent close to 30 minutes talking about his former Jets team.

When coaching is in your blood it isn’t easy to step away evidently because he is back behind a bench taking over in Columbus. The Blue Jackets announced they had “relieved head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Steve McCarthy of their duties”.

Bowness and the Flin Flon born Evason had quite the verbal battle back when the Manitoban was the head coach of the Wild.

The Jets will get a chance to see him in Columbus when they play there in early April.

David Minuk

Working hard on a daily basis to provide the latest Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose news for our readers and listeners. I also appear on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show every Saturday on our YouTube channel as well as the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show after every single Jets game. And I occasionally jump in the play-by-play booth at Canada Life to provide colour analysis during Manitoba Moose games.

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