Winnipeg Jets Hire Scott Arniel As New Head Coach

Mike McDaniel | May 24, 2024

Oct 1, 2022; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets assistant coach Scott Arniel addresses the audience at the unveiling of the Dale Hawerchuk statue at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports / James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

The Winnipeg Jets are promoting assistant coach Scott Arniel to the franchise's head coach role, the team announced Friday.

Arniel, who has spent the last two seasons as an assistant for Winnipeg, will take over for Rick Bowness, who announced his retirement earlier this month.

OFFICIAL ✍️

Scott Arniel has been appointed as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets! pic.twitter.com/e1EnRQ1e9h

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 24, 2024

It's been 13 years since Arniel was last a head coach. He took over the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the 2010-11 season, but lasted just a year-and-a-half in the role, and was fired halfway through the following campaign.

Arniel is a career 45-60-18 coach, but is a longtime assistant who was ready for a second chance to lead a hockey club.

On two separate occasions this season, Arniel took over as interim head coach while Bowness took personal leaves of absence. Entering the hiring process, Arniel was seen as a natural replacement due to his familiarity with the roster and his ability to keep the team together when Bowness was away.

The 61-year-old Arniel will be tasked with trying to get the Jets to the next level after the franchise exited the first round of the NHL playoffs in each of the last two seasons.