""This season has been a frustrating one for all of us and the bottom line is we are not performing at a level that meets our expectations," Waddell said. "We all share in that responsibility, me included, and while this was not a decision that was made lightly it is one that needed to be made at this time.""
""Dean did a tremendous job last year under extremely difficult circumstances," Waddell said, referring to a 2024-25 season that began months after the Blue Jackets tragically lost star forward Johnny Gaudreau. "and I thank him for that." Bowness, 70, most recently served as coach of the Winnipeg Jets from 2022-24. He spent the previous two-plus seasons with the Dallas Stars, leading them to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning."
Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Steve McCarthy after a struggling season. The club hired Rick Bowness as head coach. Don Waddell, president of hockey operations and general manager, cited the team’s failure to meet performance expectations and took responsibility for the decision. The Blue Jackets sit last in the Metropolitan Division with 45 points. Waddell praised Evason’s work during the prior season that followed the team’s loss of Johnny Gaudreau and thanked him. Bowness, 70, most recently coached the Winnipeg Jets (2022–24) and previously led the Dallas Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
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