The Winnipeg Jets have formally introduced their new head coach… not that he needs an introduction to Winnipeg.
Scott Arniel, 61, who replaces the now-retired Rick Bowness, has a long history with hockey in the Manitoba capital.
As a player, Arniel was drafted 22nd overall in 1981 by the first incarnation of the NHL Jets, and played for the team twice in his pro career. At the end of his pro career, Arniel also played three seasons for the Manitoba Moose.
In the late 2000s, Arniel served as head coach for the Moose, leading the team on a run to the Calder Cup final in 2008-09.
At a press conference Monday morning, Arniel said Winnipeg has been responsible for a lot of firsts in his life and career.
“I met my wife here. My kids were raised here. You know, I got to obviously play my first professional games here. I got to retire here at the end of my career as well with the Moose,” he said.
“But it also was the start of my coaching career, and it was where I got my got to cut my teeth here. It was 23 years ago that, you know, I really got into this other part of hockey. People always ask me, why am I still doing it? It’s just the next best thing to being a player.
“It’s my dream. I’ve loved it. I’ve done it my whole life. And, you know, hockey is a big part of me. To be here today, to be the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, is extremely special to me.”
As a player, Arniel also spent time in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, and served as head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was an assistant or associate coach with the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals and, most recently, the Jets.
Arniel, who filled in as head coach for two separate stretches when Bowness was away from the bench for personal and medical reasons, said the team’s regular-season success in 2023-24 was a “great accomplishment”, but there’s still more work to be done — especially if the Jets want to see that success continue into the playoffs.
Special teams, he said — including the penalty kill, which he was responsible for as an associate coach this past season — need to improve.
“Special teams for me is a huge thing. I’ll start with the penalty kill. It was for me… two years ago we were coming in here. We had a great success. You know, we took a group that was near the bottom and brought it up, (then) took a big step back, and I’ll take a lot of the responsibility for that.”
Arniel’s appointment isn’t the only change behind the Jets bench in advance of the 2024-25 season.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said Monday that the team will be parting ways with associate coach Brad Lauer, who joined the team in 2022.
“Over the weekend I had a chance to speak with Brad Lauer and we chatted about the change of roles and the pace of the situation here,” Cheveldayoff said, “and we came to a mutual agreement that we’re going to part ways.
“And so we wish Brad all the best. He’s, you know, put two hard years of his career into working here.
“But one thing that, when we talked about going through the process here with Scott, was that we were looking to add some outside influence on both the assistant coaches — whether it’ll be an associate or assistant. I know Scott’s got some of the same plans on how he wants to move things forward.”
Ultimately, Arniel said, he wants to help bring a Stanley Cup to Winnipeg.
“What I’ve been chasing my whole life is the Stanley Cup. And I think that if you come here to this hockey team, which I feel is a real strong organization, a real strong group, that we can continue to move forward to achieving that goal, ultimately for everybody… for all of us to share in that.”
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