Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness taking leave of absence because of wife's seizure

Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness is taking a leave of absence after his wife, Judy, had a seizure Sunday evening, the team announced.

The Jets said Monday that Judy was in the hospital getting further tests and that Scott Arniel will serve as head coach until Bowness returns.

"It’s a very serious tough time for them right now," Arniel told reporters. "We’ll just wait and go day-to-day with this and see how she progresses and see how Rick’s doing. But everybody’s certainly feeling it. It’s part family here."

Bowness, 68, in his 14th season as an NHL head coach, was hired by the Jets last season and made the playoffs. The Jets are 2-3 this season.

Arniel, 61, previously had been a head coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. He joined the Jets coaching staff last season and filled in at the beginning of 2022-23 after Bowness tested positive for COVID.

The Jets next play Tuesday at home against the St. Louis Blues.

"The big thing about our group is making sure we don’t let Rick down here and that we go play (Tuesday) like we need to play for him and do everything we can to get him two points," Arniel said.