Winnipeg Jets hire Scott Arniel as head coach

Scott Arniel is getting a nice promotion. 

The Winnipeg Jets announced Arniel will be the team’s next head coach on Friday. He takes over from Rick Bowness, who announced his retirement after the team’s first-round playoff exit.

Arniel has been an assistant head coach with the Jets for the past two seasons. 

Bowness took two different personal leaves of absence from the Jets this season and in both instances, Arniel served as the interim head coach. 

This will be Arniel’s second stint as an NHL coach as he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the 2010-11 season. He lasted just one-and-a-half seasons with the Blue Jackets and was replaced by Todd Richards midway through the 2011-12 season. 

Arniel finished with a 45-60-18 regular season record in his time with Columbus. 

Arniel spent his four years prior to Columbus as head coach for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, now the Jets’ farm club. He also has been an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres.

The 61-year-old coach from Kingston, Ont., also had a long career as a player, and played over half his NHL career with the first iteration of the Jets. 

Arniel played with the Jets for five seasons from 1981-1986, then rejoined the team again for the 1990-91 season. He also spent time with the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. 

Over 730 career NHL games, Arniel finished with 149 goals and 338 points. 

Arniel takes over a Jets team that has been eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two seasons.