Dean Evason, who nearly got the Columbus Blue Jackets into the playoffs amid tragedy in 2024-25, is out of a job after the team’s slow start.
The Blue Jackets announced on Monday, Jan. 12, that they had fired Evason and were bringing in NHL veteran coach Rick Bowness to replace him. Assistant coach Steve McCarthy also was fired.
“This season has been a frustrating one for all of us, and the bottom line is we are not performing at a level that meets our expectations,’ general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. ‘We all share in that responsibility, me included, and while this was not a decision that was made lightly it is one that needed to be made at this time. Dean did a tremendous job last year under extremely difficult circumstances and I thank him for that.’
Evason is the first NHL head coach fired this season.
The Blue Jackets missed the playoffs by two points last season despite the death of star Johnny Gaudreau in August 2024. He and his brother Matthew were hit by a car while bicycling in New Jersey.
Bowness, 70, had announced his retirement in 2024 after spending nearly 50 years in the league as a player or coach. He had most recently coached the Winnipeg Jets and had led the Dallas Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
“Rick Bowness is a tremendous coach with invaluable experience and knowledge, and he will bring a steadiness to our team at an important juncture in our season,” said Waddell. “He is a good communicator whose teams play with structure, are sound defensively and we believe he is the right person to bring out the best in our group.”
The Blue Jackets, who ended a four-game losing streak on Sunday, are last in the Metropolitan Division with a 19-19-7 record. Evason, 61, finishes his tenure in Columbus with a 59-52-16 record.