Video: Rick Bowness Destroys Blue Jackets Players: ‘These Guys Don’t Care!’

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

It was just a few weeks ago that there were talks about Rick Bowness potentially being a coach of the year candidate for the job he did in taking over the Columbus Blue Jackets mid-season and pulling them up from the bottom of the standings into second place in the Metropolitan Division at one point last month. But needless to say, things have imploded. 

A 2-7-1 late-season collapse, including six straight losses on home ice, left them well back of a Wild Card spot and has, to put it lightly, left the head coach irate. And highly emotional. 

Bowness came out after their loss in the final game of the season with an absolute obliteration of his players, holding nothing back. He was so angry, he was close to tears. 

All you gotta do is look at the stat sheet: Three hits, 23 giveaways. I don't know if I'm back, but if I'm back, I'm changing this culture.These guys – they don't care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn't bother them. How can you go out and play like that? 

This is why we are where we are. This is why we're out of the playoffs. That kind of effort. You have to hate losing. I don't care if it's a meaningless game. I don't care. Show up and compete!

Man, oh, man. Some of those guys are so lucky the season's over and there's no practice tomorrow... Inexcusable. If they're not embarrassed by not only tonight – by that – they're on the wrong team.

If I’m back, we’re changing this freaking culture.

Wow. 

Bowness, 71, came out of retirement to coach the Blue Jackets back in January. The team went on a 10-1-0 streak immediately following his arrival, but as you can tell from that two-minute tirade, it didn't end well.

As he mentioned, we don't know yet if he'll be back to coach the team for next season, but needless to say, there will be changes in Columbus. 

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