Arniel hired as coach of Jets, replaces retired Bowness | NHL.com

Scott Arniel was named coach of the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

The 61-year-old replaces Rick Bowness, who retired May 6.

Arniel had been a Jets associate coach for two seasons. He also filled in as coach twice this season, when Bowness missed 11 games from Oct. 23-Nov. 22 after his wife, Judy, had a seizure, and four games from March 19-24 when Bowness was away because of a medical procedure.

Arniel previously coached the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010-12, going 45-60-18 and missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his two seasons. He also has been an assistant/associate coach with the Buffalo Sabres (2002-06), New York Rangers (2013-18) and Washington Capitals (2018-22).

The Jets (52-24-6) finished second in the Central Division this season after missing the playoffs in 2023. Bowness was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the top coach in the NHL, finishing third in voting behind Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks and Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators.

Winnipeg lost to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the Western Conference First Round, and Bowness stepped down a week after the series was over, ending a 40-year coaching career.

Two teams remain without a coach: the San Jose Sharks and the Seattle Kraken. Since the regular season ended, the Sabres hired Lindy Ruff on April 22, Travis Green joined the Ottawa Senators on May 7, the Toronto Maple Leafs named Craig Berube to the position May 17 and Sheldon Keefe was hired by the New Jersey Devils on May 23.