Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announces retirement
Posted May 6, 2024 10:20 am.
Last Updated May 7, 2024 9:10 am.
Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness has announced his retirement after nearly 40 years in hockey.
Bowness’ first NHL head coaching job was with the original Jets franchise as a mid-season replacement during the 1988-89 season. He has also served as the head coach with the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars plus associate roles with the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning.
His 2,726 games as a coach are the most by anyone in league history while his 309 wins as a head coach ranks him 54th all-time.
The 69-year-old Bowness guided the Jets to a 52-24-6 record during the regular season, finishing second in the Western Conference with 110 points, but were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in five games during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Winnipeg won 7-6 during a wild Game 1 then lost four straight capped with a 6-3 defeat at home in Game 5.
He coached in the All-Star Game for the first time this year serving as the bench boss for Team MacKinnon.
Winnipeg was also eliminated during the first round last year falling in five games to the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Bowness posted a 98-57-9 regular-season record over his two seasons with the Jets.
He had a mutual option on the third year of his contract he signed when he joined the team on July 3, 2022.
