Are the Jets Blaming the Wrong Guy for Their Down Season?

What’s the real status of the Winnipeg Jets? Can they actually come back this season, or is this just another year where everything feels weird and frustrating?

Head coach Scott Arniel is kind of the center of this conversation. And it’s not totally wrong to think he could help the team turn the ship around. He was the first Jets head coach who came in without previous NHL head-coaching experience, which is a big deal. But he has still managed to do a “solid job” so far.

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Can Arniel Bring the Jets Back from a Down Season?

Last season was seriously disappointing. But that isn’t entirely his fault. Even if some fans are acting like Arniel has suddenly become the problem from day one, it’s hard to really buy that.

Here’s the part that gets lost. With Arniel in 2024-25, the Jets were more than a good team. In his first year, Winnipeg had the best record in the entire NHL. That wasn’t a fluke. If Jets fans are wondering whether coaching can move the needle, he’s already shown that he can and has.

So how do you explain a season that didn’t go the way anyone wanted? But it doesn’t feel like it’s an ‘Arniel can’t coach’ situation anymore. It feels more like poor roster construction and an aging core, and that kind of setup is hard to overcome even with good coaching. So when people say the Jets are failing, I think a big chunk of that is built into the team itself.

There Seems to Be No Movement on the Connor Hellebuyck Trade Chatter

And then there’s all the noise about trading Connor Hellebuyck. That would be a massive move. But it’s hard to see it actually happening. Hellebuyck isn’t a random player who gets dumped because things are a little messy. He’s been a big part of why the Jets even have a chance in games.

So is this the season where everything clicks, and Winnipeg flips the script? Could Arniel’s coaching style get them back to where they were two seasons ago? I think it’s possible, but I don’t think it’s just about the coaching. If the Jets can tighten things up, get their roster identity right, and maybe stop bleeding momentum, then sure—this could be the turnaround year.

If Things Go Sideways Again, Perhaps It’s Time for a Retake

Honestly, I think the bigger question is: is this really a coaching problem, or did the team kind of fall apart underneath the coaching? Arniel has already proven he can get these guys playing really well, so it’s hard to believe he suddenly “forgot how to coach.” But also you can’t just swap coaches and expect everything to magically fix itself.

If the roster’s getting older, the lineup was built poorly, and the team lost some of its identity, then a new coach is just kind of rearranging the deck chairs. Arniel probably isn’t the entire answer, but I don’t think he’s the whole problem either.

So, if things go sideways and Arniel gets fired? Realistically, he’d still get picked up by another NHL team. That’s what tells you he’s not some washed-up coach. The question is whether the team can come back together again and make a real run for the postseason. If it does, things would look better again in the prairie city.

Related: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canucks, Maple Leafs & Hrudey’s Out