Now that defenseman James Wisniewski and forward Jeff Carter have returned to game action, Howson has finally decided to find a solution to help the struggling Jackets.
"We'll be active," Howson told the Dispatch. "This last five-game stretch has given us a little more clarity. We're just not good enough as a team."
Six other teams that were also struggling in the first half of the season chose to fire their head coaches to better guide the players to victory.
However, Howson does not believe that the presence behind the Blue Jackets' bench is the issue for the team's 9-22-5 record and last place in the league.
"Changing the coach is not always the answer," he added, "and if you look at the six changes that have been made, how many have worked?"
Howson has made it clear he will be active in the market, possibly looking to improve the back end and find a better suitor in between the pipes to help 23-year-old Steve Mason, who has registered a .881 save percentage and 3.41 goals-against-average in 21 games this season.
Forwards Derick Brassard, R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette have been speculated as trade bait for several weeks and could draw interest from teams looking for a depth center.
