Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness announced his retirement after a successful 38-season career in the NHL. At 69 years old, he is the oldest head coach in the league and has been a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. During his tenure with the Jets, Bowness achieved a franchise-record 52 wins and led the team to a second consecutive postseason appearance. Despite being eliminated from the first round by Colorado, Bowness decided to retire after a successful coaching career.
Bowness began his coaching journey in 1984 and has worked in various coaching roles, accumulating a total of 2,726 games coached. He is one of only three coaches to have worked across five decades, joining the ranks of Hall of Famers Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn. The Jets announced Bowness’ retirement shortly after their playoff elimination, with general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff expected to discuss the news with reporters. It remains unclear if associate coach Scott Arniel, who filled in for Bowness during his absence for personal reasons this season, will be considered as a potential successor.
Throughout his career, Bowness has had coaching stints with several NHL teams, including the Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators. He has also served as an assistant for the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning during successful playoff runs. Despite retiring from coaching after such an impressive career
