Watch Rick Bowness, Dean Evason heated exchange from 2023 NHL season

Before Rick Bowness succeeded Dean Evason as coach of the Blue Jackets, the two got into a viral and heated argument as head coaches of other NHL teams.

Appointed as coach after Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell fired Evason, Bowness is coaching for the first time since the 2023-24 NHL season. As the Jets coach that season, he appeared to challenge Evason - head coach of the Minnesota Wild at the time - to fight during the game.

With 25 seconds remaining in the game and a Jets playoff clinch on the line, Evason put in Wild forward Ryan Reaves, who immediately went to fight Jets center Adam Lowry.

"It was very upsetting that Adam Lowry, our key guy, is in a fight, seconds [left] when we just clinched a playoff spot," Bowness said later on a Sportsnet broadcast. "So yeah, I know. I got a little excited there."

Looking back on Rick Bowness trying to fight Dean Evason back in 2023...

Do you think they were fighting over the then-unavailable CBJ coaching job? 😭

(h/t @LaneTrain__48) https://t.co/TAj5AwX2uOpic.twitter.com/MsiFgnlvAV— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 12, 2026

Bowness signaled and yelled over at Evason about the fight. Evason, looking back at Bowness, shrugged and appeared to wave Bowness over.

When asked if he thought he won the exchange, Bowness replied, "I hope so."

Evason was fired from the Blue Jackets on Jan. 12. The Blue Jackets revealed the hiring of Bowness in the same announcement.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Watch Rick Bowness seemingly ask Dean Evason to fight, '23 NHL season