Jeff Blashill and Rick Bowness face pressure as their teams struggle, but neither appears likely to be fired immediately. Chicago’s early-season record and demand for progress put Blashill under greater scrutiny; Bowness may have more breathing room as Columbus weighs whether a coaching change would fix deeper roster issues.

By the Numbers
  • Chicago opened the season 4-10-1.
  • Blashill’s seat ratings: 7/10 from Carter Hutton; 4.75/10 from Tyler Yaremchuk.
  • Bowness’ seat ratings: 4/10 from Hutton; 3.5/10 from Yaremchuk.
  • Chicago last made the playoffs in a full, normal NHL season in 2016-17.
Yes, But

Chicago needs to show growth from its young players, including Connor Bedard and Anton Frondell, not just improve in the standings. Still, Blashill is only in his second season, making a midseason firing seem premature. In Columbus, poor results may reflect the roster more than the coaching, and the team may prefer a coach who can grow with it over a short-term replacement.

Bottom Line

Blashill is under more immediate pressure, but both coaches could get the rest of the season to prove they’re part of the solution.