Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice shocked the hockey world on Friday when he resigned as head coach. Who are the Jets considering as his replacement?
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was quick to confirm that Dave Lowry would be the interim coach for the Winnipeg Jets for the remainder of the current season. Cheveldayoff cited stability for the team and a belief in Lowry’s potential as a head coach but did also confirm that all options will be considered in the offseason.
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Unfortunately for Dave Lowry, his first game as head coach ended in a 5 – 2 loss to the Washington Capitals. Both Paul Maurice and Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed that they believe in the talent of this team, that the team has underachieved this season, and that a different voice is needed in the dressing room.
Dave Lowry has a chance to be that different voice, but if the Winnipeg Jets do not show any improvement from now until the end of the season they will be looking at other options.
Here are three potential candidates to take over as head coach next season for the Jets.
3. Randy Carlyle
Winnipeg Jets fans are very familiar with the 1981 Norris Trophy winning Carlyle as he played for the Jets from 1984 – 1993 after being traded to the team from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Carlyle was a popular player in Winnipeg and was named captain of the team from 1989 – 1991.
Following his retirement as a player, Carlyle became an assistant coach with the Jets for three seasons under head coach Terry Simpson. He also got his first head coaching experience in Winnipeg as well with the Manitoba Moose first as part of the IHL and then the AHL.
Carlyle found his greatest success as an NHL head coach with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks where his teams made the playoffs five out of six seasons, including a Stanley Cup victory over the Ottawa Senators in 2007.
Carlyle was fired from his last two head coaching jobs with the Toronto Maple Leafs and in a return to Anaheim ending in 2019. His strong ties to Winnipeg, the Jets ownership group, and a Stanley Cup winning pedigree would make him a very strong candidate to replace Dave Lowry.