Blue Jackets' Collapse Sparks Epic Rick Bowness Meltdown Over Effort And Team Culture

We've all seen coaches call out their teams, but you don't really ever hear them get as honest as Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness did after his team wrapped up Game 82 on Tuesday night.

About a month ago, the Blue Jackets looked to be on pace for the Stanley Cup playoffs after Bowness took over for former coach Dean Evason in January. However, in their final 10 games of the season, the Jackets were a disastrous 2-7-1, which led to them missing out on the playoffs by just five points.

Tuesday night's game was a 2-1 loss to the also-soon-to-be-golfing Washington Capitals, and while it was close on the scoreboard, Bowness went scorched earth on his team for its virtual lack of effort.

"All you've got to do is look at the stat sheet: three hits, 23 giveaways," Bowness said. "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?" 

Tell us how you really feel, Bones!

After he took over in January, the Jackets went on a heater that put them in the mix for that final sprint to the postseason. In the Metropolitan Division, this was ultimately won by the Philadelphia Flyers, who basically finished their season with a record that was the opposite of the Blue Jackets.

This is to say, part of Bowness' frustration has to be that he knows he had a team capable of getting the job done, but just seemed to lack the drive as soon as things got hard.

Rick Bowness blasts Blue Jackets’ effort after late-season collapse, questioning players’ drive as Columbus misses out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Getty Images)

"I should have done this about a month ago, but this is why we are where we are," Bowness said. "This is why we're out of the playoffs. That kind of effort. You have to hate losing. I don't care if it's a meaningless game. I don't care. Show up and compete."

Bowness realizes an opportunity slipped away. He's been coaching in the NHL long enough to have coached the fathers of several Blue Jackets, but has yet to win a Cup.

There may not be too many chances left for him at 71-years-old.

Now, if the Blue Jackets don't bring back Bowness — because, let's face it, those comments might not go over too well with some players — any team in the market for a new coach should be giving him a call.

He still, clearly, has the drive, even if his players don't.