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<\/p>\nCoach Rick Bowness was figuratively spitting nails after the Columbus Blue Jackets\u2019 2-1 loss in the season finale to the Washington Capitals, as he ripped into the players in an emotional press conference on Wednesday (AEST). <\/p>\n
The veteran NHL coach warned that if he returned behind the bench next season that there would be major changes to the team\u2019s culture. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll you gotta do is look at the stat sheet. Three hits, 23 giveaways,\u201d Bowness said after taking a moment to try and calm himself down. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019m back, but if I\u2019m back, I\u2019m changing this culture. These guys, they don\u2019t care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn\u2019t bother them. <\/p>\n
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Watch an average of 3 regular season games per week, plus extensive coverage of the Playoffs, Conference Finals and every game of the Stanley Cup live on ESPN, available on Kayo. | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHow can you go out and play like that. Should have done this about a month ago, but this is why we are where we are. This is why we\u2019re out of the playoffs. That kind of effort. You have to hate losing. I don\u2019t care if it\u2019s a meaningless game, I don\u2019t care, show up and compete.\u201d <\/p>\n Tuesday\u2019s game had essentially no meaning for the Capitals or the Blue Jackets, who were eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week. The 2025-26 season marks the sixth time that the Blue Jackets have missed out on the postseason. <\/p>\n Bowness took over as head coach earlier this year after replacing Dean Evason in mid-January.The Blue Jackets coach continued, adding later that the players \u201cdon\u2019t want to battle back\u201d when it\u2019s gotten tough during the season. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what happened over the last couple of weeks. That\u2019s all that\u2019s happened,\u201d Bowness said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to change that. If I\u2019m back, and I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m back, Don [Waddell] and I will talk and we\u2019ll get to that. But man, oh man, some of those guys are so lucky the season\u2019s over and there\u2019s no practice tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Bowness seemed to soften his tone toward the end of the press conference by saying that the players \u201cdo care\u201d but that \u201cthey have to show it on the ice.\u201d <\/p>\n The Blue Jackets ended the regular season with a 40-30-12 record.<\/p>\n