Blue Jackets celebrate Gaudreau family and debut a victorious coach. Hear player reactions to the emotional night and the fresh leadership.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were back in action last night in a game against the Calgary Flames. These games are always special because both teams honour the Gaudreau family, after the loss of Johnny and Matthew. Last night was no different, with the family getting the chance to fire the cannon.
Last night was also the debut for Rick Bowness, who came out of retirement to help coach this team back to the club everyone hoped they would be. And, it started the right way with a win in his first game with the Blue Jackets.
Let's hear from the Blue Jackets players on what they had to say about the game and the coaching change.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Rick Bowness – Head Coach
- "We asked them to compete and we did. We competed. We played very well."
- "The coach’s job is to give them the structure, give them the details. Their job is to come and compete."
- "Clearly the penalty kill is the one that set us back, so we’ll work on that. We can fix that."
- When asked about his return to coaching: "I love it. I just love it. That's why I came back. That's what I missed the most."
- "The most thing I missed was the interaction with the players. I love that part of coaching, working with the players and talking to the players and helping them get better."
- "That's the Boone Jenner I remember coaching against for a long time. You know he's going to lead the way that way."
- On Jenner's playing style: "I’m glad I’m coaching him because he’s a hard guy to play against because he doesn’t quit."
- "I got after them because I hate playing slow. I hate playing slow."
- "You can’t play fast if you’re hanging onto the puck. That puck’s got to move."
- When asked about KJ's game "He deserved those minutes. He played hard. He’s not the biggest guy, but he competed."
- "There’s a lot of players here I don’t know very well, and the only way I’m going to get to learn about them is to watch that from behind the bench."
- "I'm here because I want to be here. I'm excited to be here, and I think I can help the hockey club."
Charlie Coyle:
- Noted that they heard the "new voice" in the room a lot, which he felt was the only way to get acclimated quickly.
- Emphasized that in their current position, there is "no time to spare," making a quick turnaround and learning each other's expectations vital.
- Felt that the coach's message "sunk in right away" for the most part, though he acknowledged there is always room to get better.
- Stated that the team will take whatever communication comes from "Bones" to heart, whether it is harsh or just standard communication.
- Mentioned that Bowness is talking "all the time" on the bench, providing both positive reinforcement and slight criticism when needed.
- Expressed immediate trust in Bowness due to his extensive experience in the league.
- Highlighted that a win right away makes everyone feel good and helps the group move forward.
- Admitted it was a "tough day" and a "kick in the butt" for everyone following the previous day's events, making the win a great way to reset.
- Felt rewarded for "playing the right way" and was happy to see the team close the game out after being in similar tight positions earlier this year.
- Observed that the most important thing is to reset after every shift and focus on the "next best step" regardless of the score.
- Stressed that the first team to break away from their game plan or lose detail is usually the one that loses.
- Confirmed there have already been "minor changes" made to certain scenarios, such as face-offs, that could be implemented quickly.
- Suggested that the team might continue to incorporate more of Bowness' system "little by little" as they get more practice reps.
- Shared that the coaching staff provided "great stuff that we need" regarding direct feedback on plays like getting the puck in deep.
Boone Jenner:
- He emphasized that he and other leaders on the team felt a high level of urgency to "drive the play," "drag guys into the fight," and "be the example".
- He noted that multiple players, including Charlie Coyle and Zach Werenski, stepped up across the lineup, making it a true "team effort".
- He acknowledged that having Bowness on the bench was "definitely different" with a "new voice" and "different chatter" than before.
- He praised the energy on the bench, noting that players were saying "a lot of good things" even during the opponent's comeback attempts to help the team stay focused.
- While the team stuck to most of their existing systems due to only having one practice with Bowness, Jenner mentioned there were "a few tweaks here and there" with more expected in the future.
- The recurring theme in the third period was to "just play," "play fast," and stay "on our toes" rather than sitting back.
- Jenner highlighted that the main points of emphasis were "the compete and the details," which he believes are necessary to win regardless of the specific style played.
- Despite giving up three power-play goals and losing leads, Jenner was proud that the team "didn't let that sink us" and felt they were the better team during five-on-five play.
- He noted that when the opponent scored, the "next line goes out and has a good shift," which helped wrestle momentum back.
- Jenner described his mindset on the late winning goal as "try to pick a spot and not miss the net," and he admitted with a laugh that he believes it was his first career "Gordie Howe hat trick".
- He credited the team's success in scoring "top corner" goals to the hard work of players like Coyle and Marchment providing screens that made it difficult for the opposing goalie to see the puck.
Kent Johnson:
- He noted a significant surge in energy and excitement within the room, crediting the new coach for successfully "grabbing the room" and motivating the players.
- He highlighted that a major point of emphasis was the level of competition, which he felt was evident in the team's performance on the ice.
- A specific area of improvement he pointed out was the team's backchecking, which he felt was noticeably better during the game.
- He agreed with teammates that the team played with great pace and mentioned that players felt a bit more tired as a result of the increased intensity.
- Johnson described the coach's constant communication on the bench as "all really good stuff" that the players were genuinely enjoying.
- He expressed excitement about continuing to work with the coach, noting that there is still much more for the team to learn and refine in their defensive play.
- When asked about the coaching change being a "new lease on life," Johnson acknowledged the excitement and the potential for different roles and increased ice time for some players.
- He felt the team did a good job of "playing hard for each other," which was especially important given the emotional nature of returning home.
- Johnson specifically mentioned the importance of "having each other's back," citing Boone Jenner's fight as an "unreal" example of the team's unified spirit.
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