Scott Arniel knows there is a lot riding on the 2026-27 season for him.
The Winnipeg Jets head coach is in the final year of his contract, and with so many questions surrounding the franchise, it's not a good position to be in for the third-year coach.
"I mean, it’s not comfortable. I’ll be honest," Arniel told the Winnipeg Free Press' Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe. "But at the end of the day, I’ve (dealt with) it as a player and now as a coach. It’s a situation where you go put the work in. There’s lots of players that may be in that same situation. I’m telling them go put the work in. Go put the work in and let the results speak for themselves.
"That’s really been my mindset since the end of the season. Hopefully it gets taken care of, but at the end of the day I have a job to do and, if I focus on that, it’s not going to help what we’re trying to do. I’ll just put my head down and move straight ahead."
The Kingston, Ont. native began his coaching tenure in Winnipeg on a high note in 2024-25, as he guided the Jets to the Presidents' Trophy and the second round of the playoffs. That success took a significant dip last season as the Jets finished 26th in the NHL and missed the post-season.
The Jets enter 2026-27 with the added stress of Connor Hellebuyck requesting a trade and not reporting to the team. He remains suspended as Winnipeg looks for a trade partner for the three-time Vezina winner.
Even with the stress of it being a contract year for Arniel, his desire to win in Winnipeg remains the same. It's something he's wanted since he played parts of six seasons with the Jets.
"I started here in 1981 and we had some great teams," Arniel said. "Ran into some other great teams. Never had a chance to really go all the way. It’s always been an aspiration, it’s always been my drive to hold that Cup up and go on — I don’t know, would it be a bus? Or a float? — down Portage and Main and be able to pick up that big silver Cup and hold it over my head. That would be amazing.
"It’s always something I’ve thought of. Not that I didn’t want to do it in Washington when I was there or New York when I was there, but it all started here for me. My wife being from here, that’s why it would mean so much to me. And then, it’s like, ‘finally. Now leave us alone.’"
The Jets open the season on Friday against the Boston Bruins (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Sportsnet+).
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