"We're 30th in the League in goals-against -- 30th," Bowness said. "I've never coached a team that was 30th in the League in goals-against."
The Blue Jackets (2-3-0), who host the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, MSG), haven't played since Tuesday, a 7-3 home loss to the Florida Panthers.
That followed a 5-3 loss at the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. They have allowed at least three goals in four of their five games and are 1-3-0 after a 6-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres in their season opener Oct. 1.
After the loss to the Panthers, Bowness voiced his frustration with his team.
"We beat ourselves in St. Louis. We beat ourselves tonight," Bowness said. "So you have to hope, you've got to believe, that that performance tonight will embarrass them enough to stop this, right? Because if they're not embarrassed by that, we don't want them on the team. It's as simple as that.
"I'm not a babysitter. I'm too old to be a babysitter for these guys. You're a professional athlete, prepare yourself to play properly."
This is not the first time that Bowness has called out his team.
Last season, after the Blue Jackets had been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention, Bowness said if he returned to Columbus this season, he would be "changing the culture."
"These guys, they don't care," Bowness said April 14. "Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn't bother them. How can you go out and play like that?
"I should have done this about a month ago, but this is why we are where we are. This is why we're out of the playoffs. That kind of effort. ... You have to hate losing. I don't care if it's a meaningless game. I don't care. Show up and compete."
He signed a contract April 16 to return as coach for this season.
Bowness, 71, was hired as Blue Jackets coach Jan. 12 last season, replacing Dean Evason. The Blue Jackets were 19-19-7 at the time, and went 21-11-15 under Bowness. They finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the third-place Philadelphia Flyers.
His 2,768 games as a coach (including interim) or an assistant are the most in NHL history.
That includes the five games the Blue Jackets have played this season, which is tied for fewest in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.
"Do we need some games to straighten things out? Yeah," Bowness said. "Do we need pace in practice to straighten things out? Yeah. I'm mad. I'm really mad at where we're sitting.
"I'm mad at myself. I hate seeing the 30th in goals-against, that bothers me. We'll fix it. We need games, we need better practices.
"We need all that. We'll get going, but right now we should be very angry with where we are."
