Gabe Vilardi Update The Winnipeg Jets have their man. And for most familiar with the way that True North Sports + Entertainment does business, the move to announce Scott Arniel as head coach on Friday afternoon came with little to no surprise. Shock value remains minimal. The move was needed and likely the correct choice, given the multitude of options and Winnipeg's current situation. Backtracking, the Jets were in need of a new head coach since the first week of May, when last year's bench boss, Rick Bowness, announced his retirement from coaching. Only a few years Arniel's senior, the 69-year-old Maritimes product finally called it quits after setting an NHL record for most games coached. But it wasn't the records or glory Bowness was after - he wanted to teach players and help the individuals become a better team. Inheriting a broken group in Winnipeg, Bones did just that. He reignited many fading lights and burnt out flames. His players remembered respect, camaraderie and patience. Oh, not to mention rediscovering their love for the game. But then dear old coach had to take a step back in October and November when his wife, Judy, suffered an unexpected medical event. Bowness called upon his then-associate, Arniel, to take the reins and let the snow dogs run. Arniel's stint as the shot-caller in the late-fall very well may have been the cherry on top. From October 23 to November 24, Arniel went 9-2-2 in 13 games, helping the Jets to an incredible stretch of games without their leader. His second set of games filling in didn't go quite as well, but Arniel still maintained a 15-7-3 record in 25 games this season. The Jets' management has long been loyal to its past players. Examples of former Moose/Jets-turned executives, coaches or player development personnel are well-documented. Yes, it's a commitment to sign with the Jets. Because Florida and Dallas and Los Angeles and New York are also options. For Arniel, the commitment to Winnipeg began way back in 1981, when he was drafted by the Jets 22nd overall out of Kingston, ON. Arniel went on to play six seasons for Winnipeg before concluding his professional career in the IHL for the Manitoba Moose. He started coaching a couple years later, with none other than Mark Chipman's Moose. He earned a shot in the NHL after two seasons as an assistant in Manitoba, before coming back to the Moose as the team's full-time head coach for the 2006-07 season, where he remained for four years. Arniel then bounced between the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Washington Capitals in head and assistant roles, before once again finding his way back to Manitoba - this time when Bowness came knocking. Then, when his friend announced his retirement, the attention shifted to Arniel. Most assumed he would have the reins handed his direction - and they were right. But there was a point last week where reports surfaced that Winnipeg had been busily conducting interviews across the league with a number of high-level candidates - Craig Berube included. Take that with a grain of salt - much like that of Barry Trotz watch in the summer of 2022. Barry was never coming to Winnipeg, and neither was Craig. Sources from within the team made it abundantly clear that management's choice was Arniel from the get-go. Doing the necessary paperwork and due diligence of interviewing a number of candidates was all smoke and mirrors. Checking the boxes. Since he made the commitment to return as associate for another former Jets player turned coach, Arniel saw his path paved ahead of him. Bowness' season of difficult medical luck cut his stay one year shorter than he likely would have imagined, but Arniel will certainly jump at the opportunity - and the pay raise. Having already spent 18 years as a member of either the Moose or Jets Arniel knows the city, the ownership, management and the team exceptionally well. Do the players need a full-blown strategic overhaul? No. Did they make significant strides under the tutelage of Bowness? Yes. Are there areas that still need improvement? Most certainly. Will Arniel take the next step and help his club make those improvements? That's the question of the day, and summer, and early fall. The pieces of the puzzle have all lined up for Mark Chipman, Kevin Cheveldayoff and company, but now the ball is truly in the hands of yet another very familiar face. How he chooses to move it will be critical as ever for a team just getting through the valley following an early postseason exit. The clock is somehow already ticking.
