Retirement of NHL Legend Rick Bowness: A 38-Season Career and Lasting Impact on the Game
Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness, a 69-year-old veteran of the National Hockey League (NHL), has announced his retirement after an impressive 38-season career. During that time, he led the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and held the record for the most games coached in league history. As a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, Bowness is widely regarded as one of the oldest head coaches in the NHL.
In his final season with Winnipeg, Bowness helped lead the team to a franchise-record 52 wins and their second consecutive postseason appearance. However, they were ultimately eliminated by Colorado in the first round. Despite his retirement, Bowness’ impact on the game will be felt for years to come.
Originally from Moncton, New Brunswick, Bowness coached a total of 2,726 games across various roles dating back to 1984. He is one of only three coaches to have worked across five decades, alongside Hall of Famers Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn. Bowness and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff are set to address the media in Winnipeg about Bowness’ retirement, but it remains unclear if associate coach Scott Arniel will be considered as a potential successor.
Throughout his career, Bowness served as a midseason replacement for several teams, including Winnipeg’s original incarnation and others such as New York Islanders and Phoenix Coyotes. He also coached Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators before spending lengthy stints as an assistant with Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning during long playoff runs with both teams.
