Jets head coach Rick Bowness calls it quits after 38-season NHL career

Just want to take a moment to to say thanks to Rick to Judy on behalf of True North Sports and Entertainment, the Winnipeg Jets. On behalf of all the management, the other coaches and I see by some of the guys in the room here that are still in town here, some of the the players are here as well. Just really want to thank Rick for the for the two years that that he came and and gave us here. It’s it’s kind of poetic, I guess, in a way to to to have him getting his first coaching job in the National Hockey League. Here in Winnipeg and coming full circle and and having the opportunity to, you know, to go out on on a note that he did, I’d like to congratulate him on on a wonderful career. All Star game appearance this year and and to culminate it with you know being honored as being one of the the three candidates for the Jack Adams. And again, all the things in the middle when I got a chance to read the you know, the press conference, the press release you know about the event. Here is what an accomplished career. But I’d get to know that working with him, the career is second to to the person that that he really is and what he’s he’s brought to the game. So thanks very much, Rick. Thanks very much, Judy, the whole entire family. And I’ll turn it over to Rick. Yeah. Well, thank you. You talk to me out of retirement two years ago. Judy, Judy and I are all set to call in today at then. But if I was going to come back to coaching, I I couldn’t have picked a better place to come back to and to finish my career with. There’s a big draw here, obviously because of our previous experience. Here we know the people that run the organization are fantastic people. This is a great organization and it’s a great city to play hockey and that I knew and we have a tremendous passionate following here and and so I couldn’t have picked a better place to come back to and to finish my career. We’ve got great players. I’ve been forced to have a great coaching staff and all the accolades both the All Star game and the nomination man. It’s the players and it’s the coaches that got me there and like I said a couple of times how many how many coaches can take the month of November off and still. Be where we are. Coaches and the players to deserve all the credit for that. But yeah, it’s been my pleasure to come back. It’s been a real honor for me to coach the Winnipeg Jets again.