The Winnipeg Jets have a new head coach

The Winnipeg Jets have hired Rick Bowness as their new head coach.

The NHL hockey club tweeted out the news Sunday afternoon.

Bowness is the team’s third head coach after Claude Noel and Paul Maurice. Assistant coach Dave Lowry has been acting as the Jets’ interim head coach since Maurice left the team in December 2021.

Bowness, 67, most recently served as head coach of the Dallas Stars until the end of the 2021/22 season. He led the Stars to an 89-62-25 record over 176 regular season games, and went 18-16 in the playoffs. He took Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, only to be beaten by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“Rick brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, both in the NHL coaching ranks, and as a player and coach in the city of Winnipeg,” said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.

“Rick is a fantastic hockey mind and an even better person and we’re confident he will lead this team to new heights.”

Bowness was drafted 26th overall in 1975 by the Atlanta Flames, and played for the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets. He played 45 games for the Jets version 1.0 in 1980-81, recording 55 points and 191 penalty minutes. He then continued on with the Jets organization, first as a player/coach for the team’s AHL affiliate in Sherbrooke, Que., and then as an assistant coach with the Jets until 1988-89. Bowness took over briefly as the Jets head coach at the end of that season, finishing with a 8-17-3 record.

“I’m tremendously excited to be returning to Winnipeg,” said Bowness in a release, “We have an exciting group of talented young players with the Jets.”

Bowness will have his first press conference as Jets head coach on Monday, July 4, 11:30 a.m. at Canada Life Centre.