The Winnipeg Jets will be without head coach Rick Bowness on Tuesday, following what the team described as a “minor medical procedure” (Twitter Link). Bowness has returned to Winnipeg to continue receiving treatment, with Scott Arniel slated to serve as interim head coach in his absence. It’s unclear if Bowness will be available for any of the remaining four games on Winnipeg’s east-coast road trip. The team’s next home game is on March 26th, against the Edmonton Oilers.
Bowness has commanded an impressive Jets lineup this season. They’ve allowed the fewest goals in the league this season and found a particularly strong groove since February, going 13-7-0 in their last 20 games. These strong performances have come despite the absences of key players, including Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi. The Jets have persevered, largely thanks to their latest trade acquisitions. Sean Monahan has eight goals and 13 points in 19 games with the Jets, while Tyler Toffoli staked his claim in Winnipeg with a dominant two-goal, three-point performance on Sunday, bringing him to four goals and five points in his first four games with the club.
The Jets will look to continue that momentum behind associate coach Scott Arniel, who joined the Jets to start the 2022-23 season, after 11 seasons in the Metropolitan Division. These games will represent Arniel’s first time manning an NHL bench since 2010 when he served as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for a brief 123 games. Arniel has also served five years as an AHL head coach, recording a combined 218-136-42 record with the Manitoba Moose and Chicago Wolves. Arniel previously played in 730 career NHL games, including 406 games across six seasons in Winnipeg.
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