Under former head coach Dean Evason the Columbus Blue Jackets looked many nights like a team that was reading and reacting instead of just playing hockey, often getting burned and leaving wide gaps on the ice. Enter new coach Rick Bowness who has a history of being a pressure-first team and the transformation of Columbus was under way.
It has been a striking difference in coaching style and results for the Blue Jackets have started to show. Bowness is known for putting players in position to succeed which he has done by and large. Upon taking the job Bowness said the first order of business was to fix the defense and penalty kill. He has done that by having both units apply pressure.
The Blue Jackets have been hitting opposing players and making life hard for them bringing the puck through the neutral zone. Defensive players have been charging at players forcing bad turnovers and taking passing lanes away.
The new defensive system has also helped out the goaltending and has fed the offense. Playing complementary hockey has been a godsend for the team that was struggling in phases of the game under Evason.
Not to bash the former head coach, it just shows that the right coach with the right personnel can make a huge difference and that is what is starting to show. The question is just how far can the Blue Jackets go with the current roster?
Just how far they can go depends largely on players continuing to buy into Bowness' system and what he is asking them to do. So far everyone is on the same page and the results have been positive.