Game Preview: Blue Jackets Host Flames As Rick Bowness Makes Head Coaching Debut For Columbus

After the surprise firing of head coach Dean Evason by the club Monday, the Columbus Blue Jackets will have new head coach Rick Bowness behind the bench Tuesday night when they face the Calgary Flames.

Bowness, who turns 71 later this month, most recently coached the Winnipeg Jets in the 2023-24 season. Now the oldest active head coach in the NHL, Bowness' teams have made the postseason in four of his last five seasons.

Turning the Blue Jackets around is a tall task, but one the new coach is up for. 

"This is a team that I think I can help improve," Bowness said in a statement Monday.

Entering the day, Columbus sits seven points out of a potential playoff spot.

Here are five things to know before the 7:00 p.m. puck-drop:

• There are few teams behind the Blue Jackets in the standings, but the Flames are one of them. With a 19-22-4 record, Calgary's 42 points are tied for the third fewest in the NHL, ahead of just the Winnipeg Jets (39) and Vancouver Canucks (37). They ended a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, the third of Calgary's current five-game road trip.
   
• "When you're on your heels in this league, you're going to get burnt." Those were the words of Bowness at his introductory press conference Tuesday. Columbus has had a knack for blowing leads this season, which President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell said had a big hand in the decision to make a coaching change. If the Blue Jackets can get a lead early, how will they play under the new head coach?
   
• For just the fourth time this season, the Blue Jackets had multiple power-play goals Sunday. Bowness indicated that special teams is an area he wants to improve on, so keep a keen eye on what he does with his power play lines if and when that opportunity arise Tuesday. With 112, Columbus has the fewest opportunities in the league on the man-advantage.
   
• Jet Greaves was in the home net at Tuesday's practice, indicating he'll be the starting goaltender against the Flames. He was sharp Sunday, stopping 25 of 27 shots from the Utah Mammoth for his 13th win of the season. Greaves has a 2.71 goals against average and .908 save percentage for the campaign and at 13-12-6, is now back above .500 on the season.
   
• Bowness did not indicate any lineup changes in this one, using the same line's as former head coach Dean Evason did Sunday as much as possible. Denton Mateychuk left the game early with an injury and while Waddell said Tuesday he doesn't expect the injury to keep him out for too long, he will miss this game. Jake Christiansen steps into the lineup for him. Here are the lineup projections, though expect changes as the game goes on as Bowness familiarizes himself with the team: