‘Always coming from a good place’ – Winnipeg Free Press

Rick Bowness isn’t big on talking about himself or his accomplishments.

As comfortable as he might be when it comes to doling out praise and providing direct feedback to others, the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets doesn’t really enjoy being the centre of attention.

In Toronto this weekend, that will be inevitable. He’s going to draw a sizeable crowd in the centre of the hockey universe for the NHL All-Star festivities, along with Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and winger Kyle Connor,

His is a remarkable story.

Bowness, 69, is beloved around the NHL and it’d be near-impossible to find anyone who has something bad to say about him.

That he’s among the four head coaches representing their respective teams and conferences is an extraordinary feat, as it’s not every day someone is heading to his first NHL All-Star Game in what is actually his sixth decade of service — dating back to his NHL debut with the Atlanta Flames back in the 1975-76 season.

“There’s no coaching. It’s a social event. Absolutely, it is. We’ll just go. We’ll see some old friends that have been around the league a long time, people that you never get to see during the course of the season,” Bowness said during a recent one-on-one conversation with the Free Press. “We take great pride in the fact that we’re there representing the Winnipeg Jet organization. Listen, we haven’t been there before and we’re going to go and enjoy it.”

That Bowness is even stepping behind the bench this weekend was far from a guarantee, which is probably what will make being celebrated by the hockey world a bit more special for his entire family.

Bowness took a leave of absence for five weeks earlier this season after his wife, Judy, suffered a seizure, and it’s fair to say his future was up in the air.

“When we went through what we went through — and I mentioned this after — there are life-changing moments. There are. And that was a life-changing moment for Judy and I and our family. It put things back in perspective,” said Bowness. “Listen, we’re a hockey family. We’ve had a tremendous life in hockey. Hockey has given us more than we could have ever imagined. But it’s still a game. Life and enjoying your health is more important.”

“Listen, we’re a hockey family. We’ve had a tremendous life in hockey. Hockey has given us more than we could have ever imagined. But it’s still a game. Life and enjoying your health is more important.”–Rick Bowness

Bowness might be quick to deflect the credit that comes his way, but that didn’t prevent his players from sharing some insight about what he’s already overcome this season.

“For what he’s had to go through this year, it’s something awesome,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “Just the opportunity to recognize his coaching ability, first and foremost, and to celebrate how selfless he is, how caring he is, what a great communicator he is. We’re fortunate that we get to see it every day and we get to see it behind closed doors.

“He’s put in a lot of time, given his life to the league. To be recognized as one of the best coaches and to come at a time this year where he’s had to battle a lot of adversity and you were almost uncertain of his future, it’s amazing.”

What Bowness has done with the Jets this season, with the help of his coaching staff, is impressive. Despite going into the player break on a three-game losing streak, the Jets are battling for top spot in both the Central Division and the Western Conference.

Now in his second season behind the Jets’ bench, Bowness has instilled a commitment to two-way play that has become the foundation for a team that has been thriving at even strength.

This isn’t simply about execution or Xs and Os, either. What Bowness has done goes deeper than that, even if one of his fundamental principles seems rather rudimentary.

“He just struck me right away as someone who was interested in getting to know his players on a personal level,” said winger Morgan Barron. “Right from the get-go, he’s trying to understand you and your family. To know that he cares about you as a person goes a long way for all of the guys in this locker room.”

Bowness has been known to be a bit too honest at times, whether in private meetings with players or during his media sessions. That criticism can occasionally cut to the bone.

It comes from a place of caring, however, and its sole purpose is to try and help that player improve.

“It’s always coming from a good place. As we saw in the past, he can be brutally honest sometimes but I think in the long run, people can understand where he’s coming from,” said Barron. “He’s not coaching to get another job after this. This is kind of it for him, so in a lot of ways, he’s got nothing to lose. Sometimes, that can be a good thing and in this case, it is. It allows him to be honest and just allows him to coach the way that he wants to coach and the way that he feels is going to make our team successful.”

“His communication is what stands out to me as his greatest strength as a coach.”–Josh Morrissey

The Bowness way has clearly resonated with his players.

“One thing with Bones is that he tells it like he sees it. He’s not going to sugar coat something. And he’s going to tell you what you’re doing great as well,” said defenceman and alternate captain Josh Morrissey. “I would rather know where you stand as a player.

“His communication is what stands out to me as his greatest strength as a coach.”

As Bowness has passed on his enjoyment of the sport to his children, his father, Bob, who played professional hockey for two seasons (1956-58) in the International Hockey League and whose rights once belonged to the Montreal Canadiens, did likewise.

“My dad opened my eyes to the game,” said Bowness. “I used to love going to watch him practise and play. I was young enough to remember those times. Even growing up, dad would tell stories about going to training camp with Jean Believeau, (Bernie) ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion, (Maurice) ‘Rocket’ Richard and all of those guys that he idolized as a kid. Dad had a great passion for the game. He opened my eyes and he brought me into the game. He never pressured me, but I picked up his passion.”

Bowness is well into the second year of the two-year pact he signed with the Jets in the summer of 2022, although it includes an option.

If you thought Bowness might be fretting about his future, think again.

“When I left Tampa — and that was seven years ago — we were talking about stopping then,” said Bowness. “And then we went to Dallas and I just took a one-year contract, because if I didn’t enjoy it, I wasn’t going to go back.”

Bowness did enjoy it and that opportunity with the Stars led to another unexpected plot twist when he took over as head coach after Jim Montgomery was fired.

That year, Bowness guided the Stars to the Stanley Cup final during the bubble playoffs in Edmonton before getting eliminated by one of his former teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

So close, yet so far for someone who continues to chase the thrill of getting his name etched on that silver mug.

Bowness might not have been the first choice when it came to finding a full-time replacement for Paul Maurice after interim head coach Dave Lowry didn’t have his contract picked up, but he’s turned out to be the right person for the job.

In a few months, we’ll find out if Bowness can lead the Jets on their first extended playoff run since the team reached the Western Conference final back in the spring of 2018.

That was part of the appeal when Bowness accepted the job.

“I knew they had a good team from playing against them for all of those years,” said Bowness. “I don’t know what happened the years before when things went sideways, but I did know that at the core of the (group) was a really good team. I said ‘OK, let’s take one more shot at it’ — and we’re thrilled that we did.”

Bowness, a product of Moncton, N.B., played for several NHL teams — Atlanta Flames, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and the Jets 1.0 — finishing with 173 games (from 1975-82) under his belt. He started his coaching career in Winnipeg in 1984 as an assistant to head coach Barry Long.

As the chat with Bowness was wrapping up, he took a walk down memory lane and provided a glimpse into why his passion for the sport still burns.

“It’s your life,” said Bowness. “You make it to the NHL as a player and you have to get over that awe of the players that you’re playing against and realize that you’re one of them now. You’re there playing against them. Usually in life, you’re supposed to have a Plan B… I’ve never had a Plan B. I’m not smart enough to have a Plan B. It’s always been hockey and we’re going with hockey all the way.”

That all-in spirit is what has allowed Bowness to navigate his way through the emotional ups and downs that come with the job — from bouncing back and forth from the NHL to the minors as a player to his transition to coaching, whether he was in the role of the bench boss, an assistant or associate coach.

“When you look back on it, there’s been a lot of great times and the great times carry you. The chances to win the Cup keep carrying you,” said Bowness. “Listen, you need thick skin, there’s no question because you know what you’re signing up for… and you’ve got to have the undying belief in yourself.

“But also be willing to change and grow, and that’s one thing I’ve done all over the years. I keep trying to get better, even at my age. I keep trying to get better and I keep trying to find different ways and that is what has carried me through.”

His willingness and ability to adapt hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“It’s crazy. Just look at how much has changed in the last five years, let alone 10,” said defenceman Neal Pionk. “There were different rules, a different culture, different players. So for him to adapt and evolve is really impressive.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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