NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets Has New Coach | IXGAMES

Scott Arniel was recently introduced as the new coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, which is a dream job for Arniel. According to Arniel, he was very interested in working with the Columbus Blue Jackets even before the team chose him as the new coach. He was specifically interested in the Columbus Blue Jackets because for him, the team was the “perfect fit” for him. The first option for the Blue Jackets was actually Guy Boucher, the coach of Hamilton Bulldogs. However, Boucher declined the offer, giving Scott Arniel a shot at his dream job. He was called by GM Scott Howson on a Monday afternoon to tell him the good news. Arniel thought that at first, Howson was calling him to say thank you for trying out but good luck next time. Instead, the call was what Arniel was waiting for, as Howson invited him to coach the Columbus Blue Jackets. Arniel was ecstatic, and drove to his wife’s office to inform his family of the good news. Scott Arniel’s work experience For the past 4 seasons, Scott Arniel was actually part of the American Hockey League (AHL), and served as Manitoba’s head coach. As the new coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, he is actually replacing Claude Noel (interim coach), who filled in the spot after the team fired then-coach Ken Hitchcock. Arniel is also reputed to have excellent management skills when handling young players, a fact that made him eligible since the Columbus Blue Jackets are a relatively young team. Plus, Arniel’s previous teams are also known for their persistence in holding on to the goal. According to Mason, the Calder Trophy holder a couple of years ago as rookie of the year, Arniel has a winning tradition as the Manitoba coach. Mason also stated that since Arniel had good playing stats and excellent coaching reputation, Arniel had definitely earned some respect among hockey players. As the Manitoba coach, Arniel was able to led the team to a record 181-105-10-19. Arniel’s Manitoba team was also known for its stingy defense, the ability to play different styles, and for playing tough. As a matter of fact, Manitoba has actually won a minimum of 40 games per season during Arniel’s tenure. The Manitoban’s winnings included a record 50 during the 2008-2009 season, during which Arniel was also hailed as the AHL’s coach of the year. As a hockey player, Arniel has solid stats to back up his coaching skills. As a member of Canada’s World Junior team, he finished 22nd in the NHL draft in 1981 by the Winnipeg Jets. From 1981 to 1991, he was able to play in a total of 406 hockey games. The 1983-1984 season was Arniel’s best season, in which he was able to garner a total of 35 assists and 21 goals in 80 games. Arniel also served as an assistant in Manitoba for a couple of years prior to working in 2002-2006 for the Buffalo Sabres. What the Blue Jackets had to say Overall, the Blue Jackets was receptive of Arniel’s new position, with several players hoping that Arniel would do well as the team’s new coach.