Former Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness on his bench during the first period against the Calgary Flames in game one of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Jets HC Rick Bowness to miss season opener after testing positive for COVID

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Zach Laing | Last updated 10/14/22

The Winnipeg Jets will be without head coach Rick Bowness for the season opener after he tested positive for COVID-19.

Instead, associate coach Scott Arniel will take over the head coaching duties, the club announced. The Jets take on the visiting Friday night for an 8 p.m. EST puck drop.

PERSONNEL UPDATE: #NHLJets Head Coach Rick Bowness tested positive for COVID this afternoon. As a result, he will not be behind the bench tonight. Associate Coach Scott Arniel will assume head coaching duties in the interim.
— Winnipeg Jets PR (@WpgJetsPR) October 14, 2022

Bowness, 67, joined the Jets this offseason after spending the last two and a half years running the bench for the Dallas Stars. He stepped away from the role this offseason, only to sign later with the Jets.

After a disappointing 2020-21 season, it’s a bit of a make-or-break season after the team struggled mightily. With Connor Hellebuyck in net, the Jets are looking to make improvements to their game as a whole.

Bowness has already had a good preseason with the Jets that saw them go 4-1-1 in six games. While it will be an adjustment without him behind the bench tonight, it shouldn’t impact the game in any major way given his systems have already been implemented.

The Jets next take on the Dallas Stars on the road Monday night.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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