It is being widely reported that the Winnipeg Jets will be announcing that the franchise’s new Head Coach will be Scott Arniel.
Hardly unexpected, the move is consistent with how True North and General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff have run things since 2011. Perhaps a bit disappointing for those fans that were hoping for a big name or some young up & comer behind the bench of the Jets.
I don’t know if Winnipeg’s new coach has a certain coaching strategy set in stone or whether he will try to adapt his system’s to his teams’ strengths. With only a season and a half behind an NHL bench with the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets (45-60-18), Arniel doesn’t have an extensive head coaching history to fall back on.
The new coach inherits a roster that definitely has playoff potential and it will be interesting to see what steps he takes to make the Jets more of a Stanley Cup contender. With lots of room for improvement in the penalty killing & powerplay units, those decisions to fill out his coaching staff could be important in how deadly the Jets’ offense is next season.
Scott Arniel started his professional hockey career with the Winnipeg Jets after being drafted 22nd overall in 1981 and ended up playing six seasons in a Jets’ uniform. He also had his first coaching position in Manitoba (4 yrs behind the bench with the Moose), so when you add that to the 2 seasons as an Associate Coach under Rick Bowness, Arniel is certainly familiar with the province. On top of his time at the helm of the Blue Jackets, he has also had experience as an Assistant Coach with the Washington Capitals, NY Rangers, & Buffalo Sabres, so he has been exposed to a few different systems at the NHL level.
When the news becomes official, the franchise can now move on with filling out the coaching staff and preparing for the upcoming draft/off-season.
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