Winnipeg Jets officially hire new head coach

Former coach Rick Bowness retired earlier this offseason. Arniel was a top candidate for the position due to the high respect he has from the players.

Arniel, 61, previously served as an associate coach and stepped in as interim head coach when Bowness was absent, achieving an 11-5-2 record during that time. He also has experience as a head coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he had a 45-60-18 record over two seasons but did not make the playoffs.

Rick Bowness coached the Jets for two seasons, with a record of 98-57-9. Under his guidance, the team improved by 15 points this year, finishing second in the Central Division with a 52-24-6 record. However, the Jets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche, allowing 28 goals in five games. During Bowness' tenure, the team did not progress past the first round of the playoffs.

Bowness has a remarkable coaching career, being behind an NHL bench for a record 2,726 games as a head or assistant coach. He joins legendary coaches Pat Quinn and Scotty Bowman as the only ones with careers spanning five decades. Bowness first became a head coach with the original Winnipeg Jets during the 1988-89 season and has a career record of 310-408-37, with 48 ties. He has coached for the Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, and Dallas Stars.

Last season, Bowness took a leave of absence twice: once early in the season when his wife fell ill, causing him to miss 13 games, and again in March after a medical procedure, missing five games.

More to come...