When Don Waddell picked up the phone to call Rick Bowness, he didn’t know what answer he would get. Bowness had every reason to say no. He had left. His wife Judy’s health was – and remains – a priority. He could have spent the spring quietly, or even made his way to the Hockey night in Canada panel, that the game talks instead of lives.
Instead, he didn’t let Waddell’s question hang any longer.
Bowness had no idea why Waddell was calling
Bowness thought Waddell might call to ask about a player, perhaps a trade. That’s how long Bowness has been around; people still seek his insight. But when Waddell asked him directly if he missed coaching, the answer came easily. Yes.
And if the sequel came, would you coach our team for the rest of the year? The response was immediate.
“I’m in.” He didn’t have to think about it, but Bowness asked for ten minutes, called back in three, and that was that. Sometimes the game still pulls you back before you even have time to talk yourself out of it.
What’s important here isn’t that only that Bowness said yes. Are Why he said yes – and why the Blue Jackets felt so strongly he was the right person for the moment.
Why Bowness fits the Blue Jackets?
Bowness is one of the most respected people in the hockey world. Not just because of what he has done behind the bench, but also because of the way he does it. Ask around and you won’t hear of people tearing him down. You hear about communication. About honesty. About someone who knows how to walk into a room, take a team’s temperature and keep it stable.
Columbus didn’t need more noise or drama. They needed a voice that players could trust. They needed someone who had been here before, who stepped into the middle of a situation, didn’t ask for control over the future, but simply committed to the work at hand.
And that’s exactly how Bowness and Waddell put it. One season. One job. Let’s see how it feels. If it works, we’ll talk. If not, we will part ways honestly.
There’s something refreshing about earning a job
There’s something refreshing about that in a league obsessed with long-term plans and contract years. This isn’t about leverage. It’s about the goal.
Rick Bowness missed coaching. The Blue Jackets needed someone who could connect, communicate and bring credibility to the room. Sometimes those needs are met neatly.
This time it took one phone call – and about three minutes – to know it was right. By the way, game one was a 5-3 Blue Jackets victory over the Calgary Flames.
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