Jets, Bowness finalizing agreement to become team's new head coach

The Winnipeg Jets and veteran coach Rick Bowness are working on finalizing an agreement to become the next head coach of the franchise, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.

The Winnipeg Jets and veteran coach Rick Bowness are working on finalizing his agreement to be the next coach of the Jets. This will end a thorough interview process for the @NHLJets that began with Barry Trotz as the target. Experience a key factor here.

Bowness spent most of the past three NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, leading them to an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup final.

While Bowness was not under contract past this season, the 67-year-old coach said he was stepping away from the Stars to "allow the organization the opportunity to pursue a different direction at the head coaching position.''

The Stars hired Pete DeBoer to replace Bowness last month.

It will be Bowness's second stint in Winnipeg. He started his coaching career with the Jets, culminating in 28 games running the bench to close the 1988–89 season.

Bowness takes over behind the Jets bench from Dave Lowry, who was named interim head coach after current Florida coach Paul Maurice stepped down in December after nearly nine years in Winnipeg.

The Jets finished the 2021-22 season sixth in the Central Division and out of the playoffs with a 39-32-11 record.

Bowness has been on an NHL bench for a record 2,562 regular-season games as a head coach or an assistant over nearly four decades.

He was 89-62-25 as head coach in Dallas, where he was a second-year assistant before being named interim head coach in December 2019 after Jim Montgomery was fired for off-ice issues.

After the Stars made the Stanley Cup Final in that pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, the interim tag was