Rick Bowness

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Rick Bowness : biography

January 25, 1955 –

Following the season, the Bruins organization promoted Bowness to become the new head coach of the Boston Bruins.

Boston Bruins

Bowness returned to the NHL to become the head coach of the Boston Bruins for the 1991-92 season. He coached his first game as a Bruin on October 3, 1991, defeating the New York Rangers 5–3 at the Boston Garden. Overall, the Bruins finished the season with a 36–32–12 record, earning 84 points and second place in the Adams Division. Bowness coached his first playoff game on April 19, 1992, losing 3–2 to the Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins would eventually win the series in seven games, followed by a four game sweep over the Montreal Canadiens to reach the Wales Conference finals. Boston was then swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

After just one season with the Bruins, Bowness was not brought back, as Boston replaced him with Brian Sutter. Bowness then took a job with the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa Senators

Bowness became the first head coach in Ottawa Senators history for the 1992-93 season. On October 8, 1992, the expansion Senators won their first ever game over the Montreal Canadiens 5–3 at the Ottawa Civic Centre. Wins would be few and far between, as Ottawa finished with a 10–70–4 record, earning 24 points and a tie for last place in the overall NHL standings with the San Jose Sharks.

Bowness returned to the Senators for the 1993-94, as Ottawa improved by 13 points, going 14–61–9, earning 37 points, however, Ottawa once again finished in last place in the NHL.

The Senators continued to go their some growing pains in the 1994-95 season, as Ottawa finished with a 9–34–5 record in the lockout shortened 48 game schedule, finishing in last place in the league for the third straight season.

Bowness began a fourth season with the Senators in 1995-96, and after a promising start, as Ottawa had a 6–5–0 record after 11 games, the club fell into an eight game losing streak to fall to 6–13–0, and Bowness was relieved of his duties, as he was replaced by Dave Allison.

During the summer of 1996, Bowness joined the New York Islanders as an associate coach.

New York Islanders

Bowness joined the New York Islanders as an associate coach for the 1996-97 under head coach Mike Milbury. After the Islanders got off to a rough 13–23–9 start, Milbury resigned and Bowness became the new head coach of the Islanders. On January 22, 1997, Bowness coached his first game with New York, leading the team to a huge 8–1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders went 16–18–3 under Bowness, however, they failed to reach the playoffs.

Bowness returned as the Islanders head coach for the 1997-98 season, however, the club struggled to a 22–32–9 record, and he was fired, as Mike Milbury replaced him behind the bench.

Phoenix Coyotes

Bowness joined the Phoenix Coyotes coaching staff as an assistant under Bob Francis for the 1999-2000 season. The Coyotes had a strong season, going 39–31–8–4, earning 90 points and third place in the Pacific Division, sixth in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Coyotes lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.

Despite finishing with a 35–27–17–3 record, earning 90 points, the Coyotes failed to reach the playoffs in the 2000-01, as Phoenix finished in ninth place in the Western Conference.

The Coyotes rebounded in the 2001-02, going 40–27–9–6 to earn 95 points and finish in sixth place in the Western Conference and reach the post-season. In the playoffs, the Coyotes lost in five games to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. After the season, Coyotes head coach Bob Francis won the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year.

Phoenix struggled in the 2002-03 season, going 31–35–11–5, earning 78 points and 11th place in the Western Conference, well out of a playoff position.

The club had another tough season in 2003-04, as the Coyotes had a 20–24–15–3 before the team fired head coach Bob Francis and named Bowness as the interim head coach. Under Bowness, Phoenix continued to struggle, as they went 2–12–3–3, and finished well out of the post-season once again.