Former Ottawa Senators Head Coach Rick Bowness ...
Bowness was the very first head coach in Ottawa Senators history, leading the club through some tough expansion years in the early 1990s.
thehockeynews.comHere’s the latest I can share based on recent reporting:
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Rick Bowness has been active in coaching roles in 2026, most notably taking the Columbus Blue Jackets back behind the bench, with coverage describing his return to head coaching in January 2026 after a period away. This move was framed as bringing in veteran leadership to a team seeking stability.[2][5]
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Several outlets highlighted that Bowness’s return marks his eighth or more head coaching stint across NHL teams, emphasizing his experience and calm leadership as the Blue Jackets aim to turn around a difficult season.[4][5]
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There have been ongoing follow-ups on his impact, including discussions about how his tenure might influence the team’s structure, defense, and overall discipline, with analysts weighing whether he can replicate previous successful seasons in Winnipeg as a benchmark.[5][2]
If you’d like, I can pull direct article links and summarize any specific outlet’s take (e.g., The Hockey News, The Hockey Writers, NHL.com) with dates and key quotes. I can also set up a quick timeline of his career moves for clarity.
Citations:
- Reports mentioning Bowness returning to the bench with the Blue Jackets in 2026.[2][5]
- Context on his coaching history and number of franchises coached.[4][5]