Columbus Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness will miss his second straight game because of a health issue, general manager Don Waddell said before their game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, NBCSP).
The 71-year-old was not on the ice for practice Friday after he was not behind the bench for a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Assistant Don Granato will once again serve as coach Saturday.
“He’s doing more testing on Monday,” Waddell said. “He was here actually this morning, (so) that’s a good sign. He was here for a little bit with the coaches. Until we know more, he’s listed like a player -- day to day.”
The Blue Jackets (7-10-0), who have lost three in a row, begin a four-game road trip at the New York Islanders on Tuesday. They will practice in Columbus on Monday before departing. Waddell said Bowness will not accompany them but could join the team at some point during the trip if cleared to do so.
“He’s doing OK,” Waddell said. “He’s just got some things that are affecting him that we need to figure out, the doctors need to figure out.”
Bowness missed 11 games during the 2023-24 season as Winnipeg Jets coach. He missed seven when his wife, Judy, had a seizure, and another four after having a “minor medical procedure.”
NHL.com independent correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report
