Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness to miss season opener after testing positive for COVID-19

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.

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.