NHL Coach Rips Players After Late-Season Collapse

Columbus Blue Jackets miss playoffs for sixth straight year after stunning late-season slide

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:43pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a hockey game broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and red, conveying the chaotic nature of the Blue Jackets' late-season struggles.A cubist interpretation of the Blue Jackets' late-season collapse, with fragmented shapes and colors representing the team's disjointed performance and coach Bowness' frustration.Philadelphia Today

The Columbus Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year after a stunning late-season collapse, culminating in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. Head coach Rick Bowness, who took over the team in January, did not hold back in his criticism of the players, saying 'they don't care' and that 'losing is not important enough to them.'

Why it matters

The Blue Jackets' late-season collapse and failure to make the playoffs for the sixth straight year is a major disappointment for the organization and its fans. Bowness' scathing comments about the team's effort and attitude highlight deeper cultural issues that need to be addressed if the Blue Jackets want to end their playoff drought.

The details

The Blue Jackets went from second in the Metropolitan Division last month to being eliminated from playoff contention in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Bowness, who came out of retirement to take over the job in January, was highly critical of his team's performance in the season-ending loss, citing just 3 hits and 23 giveaways. He said the players 'don't care' and that losing 'is not important enough to them.'

  • The Blue Jackets were eliminated from playoff contention on Monday, April 14, 2026.
  • Bowness took over as head coach on January 12, 2026, with the team in last place in the Eastern Conference.
  • Under Bowness, the Blue Jackets went 18-2-4 in his first 24 games, putting them in playoff position.
  • However, the team then went 3-9-1 down the stretch to miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season.

The players

Rick Bowness

The head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who took over the team in January 2026 and was highly critical of his players' effort and attitude after the team's late-season collapse.

Dean Evason

The previous head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who was replaced by Rick Bowness in January 2026.

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What they’re saying

“'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?'”

— Rick Bowness, Head Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets

“'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.'”

— Rick Bowness, Head Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets

What’s next

The Blue Jackets organization will need to decide whether to retain Rick Bowness as head coach and how to address the team's apparent lack of effort and losing culture that has led to six straight missed playoff appearances.

The takeaway

The Blue Jackets' late-season collapse and coach Bowness' scathing criticism of his players' effort and attitude highlight deeper organizational issues that need to be addressed if the team hopes to end its long playoff drought. Bowness' comments suggest a fundamental lack of accountability and commitment within the team that he believes he can change if given the chance to return as head coach.