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Winnipeg Jet head coach Scott Arniel in his playing days in Winnipeg in the '80s. Source: https://www.jacksonevents.ca/listing/scott-arniel/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Canada had never won gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship, even though we claimed to have the best developmental system in the world. Canada needed a win, and the first ever Team Canada select team delivered, winning gold at the 1982 World Junior Hockey Championship.
It was a total team effort, made up of a group of players who were not household names, but together, were a force to be reckoned with.
One of the players on that team was Scott Arniel, who earlier this week was named head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, replacing the retiring Rick Bowness.
World juniors
Scott Arniel played his junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Cornwall Royals, from 1979 to 1982. He teamed with Dale Hawerchuk to help the Royals win the Memorial Cup in 1981 with a win over the Kitchener Rangers in the final. Arniel also had a hat trick in Cornwall’s 8-2 romp over the Rangers in that final.
Scott Arniel played his junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Cornwall Royals, from 1979 to 1982. He teamed with Dale Hawerchuk to help the Royals win the Memorial Cup in 1981 with a win over the Kitchener Rangers in the final. Arniel also had a hat trick in Cornwall’s 8-2 romp over the Rangers in that final.
While Hawerchuk went first overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft to Winnipeg, Arniel was taken 22nd overall, making him the first pick of the second round. That also meant he too was taken by Winnipeg.
He made the jump straight to the NHL, playing in 17 games in the 1981-1982 season, before being returned to junior. Cornwall, which is actually in Ontario, was moved into the Ontario Hockey league so that’s where Arniel landed.
Being sent back to junior also meant he was able to play for Canada at the 1982 World Junior Hockey Championship.
He appeared in seven games, recording five goals and six assists for 11 points. Arniel had also played in the 1981 World Junior Hockey Championship when Canada sent the Memorial Cup champion from the previous season as its representative. In the 1981 tournament, Arniel appeared in five games, scoring three goals and one assist for four points.
Going pro
Arniel joined the Jets full time for the 1982-1983 season where he played in 75 games, scoring 13 goals and adding five assists for 18 points. I always thought it was cool that Arniel and Hawerchuk had played junior together, and were now teammates in the pros too.
Arniel joined the Jets full time for the 1982-1983 season where he played in 75 games, scoring 13 goals and adding five assists for 18 points. I always thought it was cool that Arniel and Hawerchuk had played junior together, and were now teammates in the pros too.
The following year, the 1983-1984 season, was a career year for Arniel as he recorded 21 goals and 35 assists for 56 points in 80 games.
In the 1984-1985 season he had 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points in 79 games. He also had a goal and two assists for three points in eight playoff games. The previous two seasons he had no points in four playoff games.
Arniel played his final season with the Jets in 1985-1986 where he recorded 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points, but again had no points in three playoff games.
Before the start of the 1986-1987 season, Arniel was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres in return for Gilles Hamel. Arniel had 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 63 games in his first year in Buffalo.
In the 1987-1988 season, Arniel notched 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 73 games, adding one assist in six playoff games.
The 1988-1989 season saw Arniel play in 80 games where he scored 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points, and added a goal in five playoff games.
As the decade closed, Arniel played his final year with Buffalo in the 1989-1990 season, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 79 games. He added another goal in five playoff games.
Ironically, in 1990 he would go back to the Jets as part of a trade that saw Dale Hawerchuk go to Buffalo.
The years after
Scott Arniel would go on to play one more season with Winnipeg, part of a season with my beloved Boston Bruins, then split his time with the San Diego Gulls, Houston Aeros, Utah Grizzlies and Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League, retiring at the conclusion of the 1998-1999 season.
Scott Arniel would go on to play one more season with Winnipeg, part of a season with my beloved Boston Bruins, then split his time with the San Diego Gulls, Houston Aeros, Utah Grizzlies and Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League, retiring at the conclusion of the 1998-1999 season.
His final NHL totals would be 149 goals and 189 assists for 338 points in 730 games, as well as three goals and three assists for six points in 34 career playoff games.
Arniel moved into coaching while he was still playing with Houston, and coached with a number of teams in the minors. As head coach of the Manitoba Moose, he was named American Hockey League coach of the year in the 2008-2009 season. He also worked as an assistant with a number of NHL teams, then was head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2010-2011 season and part of the 2011-2012 season until he was fired.
Arniel moved into coaching while he was still playing with Houston, and coached with a number of teams in the minors. As head coach of the Manitoba Moose, he was named American Hockey League coach of the year in the 2008-2009 season. He also worked as an assistant with a number of NHL teams, then was head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2010-2011 season and part of the 2011-2012 season until he was fired.
He now embarks on a new adventure as the next head coach of Winnipeg, the place where it all started in the NHL for Scott Arniel.
Parting thoughts
It’s amazing how different hockey is covered in this country. The Toronto Maple Leafs fire their coach and the speculation over his successor is headline news. Earlier this week, the Leafs named Craig Berube their new head coach and not only was it the top story beyond playoff coverage, but analysts took the decision apart.
It’s amazing how different hockey is covered in this country. The Toronto Maple Leafs fire their coach and the speculation over his successor is headline news. Earlier this week, the Leafs named Craig Berube their new head coach and not only was it the top story beyond playoff coverage, but analysts took the decision apart.
In the same week, the Winnipeg Jets, another Canadian team, also named their new head coach after their existing coach, Rick Bowness, announced his retirement. Yet, when the Jets announced they had named Scott Arniel their new head coach the same week, the story was buried near the bottom of the sports news. There was no headline, and no in-depth analysis.
Even though the Jets had a record comparable to the Leafs.
There wasn’t even any mention of the fact Arniel once played for the Jets.
But, I have some cool memories of Scott Arniel making World Junior Hockey Championship history, and his time in the NHL in the 1980s where he was reunited with Dale Hawerchuk, his pal from junior.
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