The Winnipeg Jets and veteran coach Rick Bowness are working to finalize a deal for him to be the next head coach of the Jets. This will end a thorough interview process for the @NHLJets that began with Barry Trotz as a target. Experience a key factor here. — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 1, 2022 Bowness spent most of the last three NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, leading them to an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. While Bones was out of contract last season, the 67-year-old coach said he was leaving the Stars to “allow the organization an opportunity to take a different direction in the coaching position.” The Stars hired Pete DeBoer to replace Bowness last month. It will be Bowness’ second stint in Winnipeg. He began his coaching career with the Jets, culminating in a 28-game hitting streak to close out the 1988-89 season. Bowness takes over behind the Jets bench from Dave Lowry, who was named interim coach after current Florida coach Paul Maurice resigned in December after nearly nine years in Winnipeg. The Jets finished the 2021-22 season in sixth place in the Central Division and out of the playoffs with a 39-32-11 record. Bowness was on the NHL bench for a record 2,562 regular-season games as a coach or assistant over nearly four decades. He was 89-62-25 as a head coach in Dallas, where he was a second-year assistant before being named interim coach in December 2019 after Jim Montgomery was fired over off-field issues. After the Stars made the Stanley Cup Final in that pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, the temporary tag was removed and Bowness was given a two-year contract. Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn, both members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Bowness are the only other coaches with games in five different decades. Bowness did it with Winnipeg (1989), Boston (1991-92), Ottawa (1992-96), New York Islanders (1996-98), Phoenix (2004) and Dallas (2019-22). He was also an assistant for Vancouver and Tampa Bay. This Canadian Press report was first published on July 1, 2022.
