The Columbus Blue Jackets continued to make strides forward in the standings over this past season as they just narrowly missed out on a playoff berth, posting a 40-30-12 record. This gave them 92 points, which was just six shy of a potential wildcard spot in the postseason.
With that being said, the year did not end in impressive fashion as the club won just three games in their final 13 matchups of the season. That included six straight loses in their last games on home ice. This poor stretch of play denied them any chance of clinching a playoff berth.
Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness went off on his team at the conclusion of the year in a viral rant. He blasted the team, suggesting the group does not hate to lose enough and needs a cultural overhaul. Bowness addressed this moment on last nights TNT panel as he covered the Monday slate of games.
Rick Bowness Wanted Team to “Go Home Uncomfortable”
Bowness stated on the TNT broadcast that he wanted his players to “go home uncomfortable” following the disappointing finish to the season. He said the mindset needs to be better if this Columbus team is going to make that next step and compete for a playoff spot.
Bowness took over as Blue Jackets coach midway through this latest 25-26 season after the team got off to an average 19-19-7 start under former bench boss Dean Evason. The results were good initially under Bowness as the team went on a strong midseason run that put them in the playoff conversation. However, that all came undone with the collapse closing the year.
Bowness will return as Columbus as coach next season, having recently signed an extension with the club. He has promised to lead the charge towards resetting the club culture when it comes to being accountable and showing that effort level needed to become a respected team.
Blue Jackets Trying to Come Out of Rebuild
It has been a while since the Blue Jackets last experienced playoff hockey, having last made it in 2020 back when John Tortorella was still the coach of the team. This latest miss now makes it six consecutive years Columbus has gone without postseason action.
Progress has been made the past two seasons as the club has been knocking on the door of contention status with back to back winning campaigns over .500. But, the gains were not enough in 2026 as the results mostly mirrored the previous year.
Columbus has something to work with as they have built a promising core of talent to build around. Zach Werenski leads the charge on the backend as one of the top defenders in the league and the likes of Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli are solid pieces up front on offense. The organization also has a potent prospect pool in their future arsenal.
If the team wants to take that next step forward and make a playoff push, they could use more depth. It will be interesting to see what general manager Don Waddell does over the offseason.
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