Has Rick Bowness emerged as a candidate for the Jack Adams?
There are a number of coaches who are certainly deserving of the Jack Adams Award this year, but one man has been able to make himself a candidate for how he helped a floundering team turn things around midseason.
The Columbus Blue Jackets fired Dean Evason as head coach on Jan. 12. At the time, the team sat at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, with all signs pointing toward another solid pick in the NHL Draft. However, with Rick Bowness returning to the bench, there has been a rejuvenated confidence in a group that features a balance of veterans and young talent.
Since Bowness took over, Columbus has gone 19-2-4, one of the best records in the NHL over that span.
Bowness is going up against the likes of Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse for the Jack Adams, but what he’s been able to do in such a short amount of time is commendable.
On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Steve Peters joined Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton to discuss why Bowness is in the running for the Jack Adams.
Steve Peters: I don’t know how you can’t include Rick Bowness. I know he hasn’t coached enough, but since he’s taken over, he’s first in the National Hockey League in winning percentage. They’ve cut their goals against by over a goal since he’s been there. This team went from out of the playoffs and last to being a team that’s talked about as being able to have a good playoff run. So Rick Bowness has to be there.
I think Dan Muse has to be there. … I said Pittsburgh had no chance. No chance of making the playoffs. They’re getting old. They’re getting slow. Dude got this team playing again. You got Sidney Crosby and Melkin happy again. Dan Muse has to be in there. The winner is Lindy Ruff. I mean, last season, they finished with 79 points. They’re projected for 109 points. Like, that’s a 30-point increase. Absolutely insanity taking a team from where they were a year ago, last in the Eastern Conference, to a team that’s first in the Atlantic. It’s Lindy Ruff for me. That’s my Jack Adams winner.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…