EDMONTON -- Scott Arniel has transitioned nicely as coach of the Winnipeg Jets.
Arniel was promoted to replace Rick Bowness on May 24 after he was Winnipeg’s associate coach for two seasons. Bowness, 69, retired shortly after the Jets were eliminated in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference First Round by the Colorado Avalanche in five games. Bowness coached Winnipeg for two seasons and worked in the NHL for 38 seasons.
“I’m starting to bring my own ideas and thoughts in,” Arniel said Sunday. “We’ve been building something here for the last couple of years and I’m able to continue to move forward with that. ‘Bones’ was great for me in the sense that he gave me a lot of responsibility the last couple of years, so the transition and all that has been pretty smooth.”
Arniel stepped in on three occasions over those two seasons for Bowness, who had to take leave for health and family reasons. The Jets went 15-7-3 over that time, including 10-5-2 last season when Bowness had to leave after his wife, Judy, suffered a seizure and was hospitalized.
Winnipeg finished second in the Central Division last season (52-24-6).
“I got to be able to coach when Rick was away, which was unfortunate, but I got to be behind the bench, so the players know me,” said Arniel, who turned 62 on Sept. 17. “So, I [have] a relationship, so it’s not like I’m coming into an organization where I don’t know anybody.”
Arniel has worked as an assistant in the NHL since joining the Buffalo Sabres in 2002. He was hired as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010 and had a 34-35-13 record in his first season and was fired after 41 games of his second season after going 11-25-5.
Since then, Arniel has worked in the Vancouver Canucks organization as their American Hockey League coach in Chicago, and as an assistant with the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals.