Rick Bowness will be away from the Winnipeg Jets after his wife, Judy, suffered a seizure. Associate coach Scott Arniel is the interim coach until Bowness returns.
Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness is taking a leave of absence to be with his wife, the team announced Monday.
According to a statement from the Jets, Judy Bowness suffered a seizure on Sunday night and is currently in hospital undergoing further testing. While her husband is away from the Jets, associate coach Scott Arniel will serve as the interim head coach.
"We ask everyone to respect the family's privacy at this time," read the statement.
The Jets have played five games so far this season, posting a 2-3-0 record to rank seventh in the Central Division.
Arniel, 61, played 11 years in the NHL between 1981 and 1992, recording 149 goals and 338 points in 730 career games between the original Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and Boston Bruins. Arniel was a former head coach of the AHL's Manitoba Moose between 2006 and 2010, and spent one full season and part of a second as the coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010 to 2012. On top of that, Arniel's been on the coaching staff of NHL clubs since 2002, including the Sabres, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, and now, the Jets.
Moving forward, Arniel will hold down the fort in Bowness' absence so he can fully focus on supporting his wife.
The hockey world sends their best wishes to the Bowness family.