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NHL Notebook: Blue Jackets relieve Dean Evason of duties, hire Rick Bowness
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski/USA Today Sports
Ryley Delaney
Jan 14, 2026, 16:45 EST
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The first coaching change in the 2025-26 season happened on Monday.
After beginning the season 19-19-7, the Columbus Blue Jackets relieved Dean Evason of his duties, replacing him with Rick Bowness.
It came as a little bit of a shock. Reeling for the tragic passing of Johnny Gaudreau shortly before the 2024-25 season, Evason led the Blue Jackets to a 40-33-9 record in his first season behind the bench, just missing out on the post-season.
The Blue Jackets haven’t found the same success in 2025-26. On Monday, the Jackets’ 19-19-7 record gave them 45 points, tied for the fewest in the Eastern Conference and seven points out of the final wild card spot.
Evason has been behind a bench for all of the last 27 seasons. After a lengthy playing career that spanned 13 seasons, one season with the Calgary Flames, Evason took the reins of the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers before the 1999-2000 season. He spent six years as a junior head coach, seven seasons as an assistant coach in the National Hockey League, six at the helm of the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, before joining the Minnesota Wild in 2018-19 as an assistant.
During the 2019-20 season, Evason became the interim head coach of the Wild, spending parts of five seasons there before being fired during the 2023-24 season.
As for Bowness, the former Atlanta Flame has had a lengthy career as a coach, mostly as an assistant or associate. He has experience head coaching, doing so for the original Winnipeg Jets, the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and most recently, the Winnipeg Jets (but the newer version).
In his parts of 14 seasons at the helm of a team, before the Blue Jackets, Bowness has a 310-408-37-48 record, 48 being ties. He’s coached in just 59 playoff games, with a large chunk of which coming with the Stars in 2019-20, 27 to be exact.
The Blue Jackets won their first game under Bowness 5-3.

Brayden Point out week-to-week

The 2026 Olympics is quickly approaching and there is cause for concern for Team Canada, as Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point left Monday’s game with an injury. Point is considered “week-to-week”.
It’s unclear the severity of the injury, but with the Olympics being less than a month away, the big question is whether or not he’ll be able to attend. His Team Canada and Lightning coach, Jon Cooper, noted that his season isn’t over, which is a step in the right direction.
Drafted in the third round of the 2014 draft, Point has become one of the best “diamonds in the roughs” signings. Through 694 NHL games, the Calgary, Alberta native has 317 goals and 665 points, scoring 51 goals and 95 points in 2022-23, career-bests. He also added 14 goals and 33 points in 23 games during the 2020 playoffs, helping the Lightning to the Stanley Cup.
However, Point hasn’t had one of his usual seasons. Through 37 games, he has just 11 goals and 30 points in 37 games, which would be the first time he’s been below a point-per game since 2021-22.
That hasn’t stopped the Lightning from being one of the best teams in the league, as their 29-13-3 record (61 points) is good enough for the best in the Eastern Conference, and tied for third-best in all of the NHL.

Philip Broberg signs six-year extension

Another player named to an Olympic roster who also suffered a recent injury was Philip Broberg. Unfortunately for the Swedish defenceman, it came on the same day that he signed a six-year extension worth $8 million annually.
In the St. Louis Blues’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Broberg played the puck along in his own end. Mark Stone finished his check, with Broberg falling and hitting his head off the ice. Broberg didn’t skate on Tuesday because of concussion protocol.
It’s a tough loss for the Blues, as Broberg has been their best defenceman this season. Drafted eighth overall by the Edmonton Oilers, Broberg has two goals and 15 points in 46 games, but has been relied upon as their shutdown defender. The Swede also has some offence to give, as he potted eight goals and 29 points in 68 games last season with the Blues.
Broberg will be a big part of the Blues’ core moving forward, even if they won’t make the playoffs this season. Through 47 games, the Blue have an 18-21-8 record with 44 points, five behind the San Jose Sharks with two additional games played.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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