Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness, at 69 years old, is the oldest head coach in the NHL and is currently a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. He has spent 38 seasons in the league and holds the record for the most time spent behind the bench. Despite being eliminated from the first round by Colorado, Bowness made the decision to retire after a successful coaching career.
During his time with the Jets, Bowness achieved a franchise-record 52 wins and guided the team to a second consecutive postseason appearance, marking a successful tenure. He has had coaching stints with several NHL teams, including the Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators, and has also served as an assistant for the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning during successful playoff runs.
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 and it remains unclear if associate coach Scott Arniel will be considered as a potential successor.
