Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice Resigns Prior To Game vs. Capitals; Dave Lowry Named Interim Replacement

Photo: Yahoo Finance

Just prior to their game against the Washington Capitals at Canadian Life Centre on Friday (8 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington in-market, ESPN+ out-of-market), the Winnipeg Jets announced that head coach Paul Maurice resigned from the position due to personal reasons. Assistant Dave Lowry will replace Maurice on an interim basis.

The Jets are 13-10-5 this season, three points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with each team having played 28 games entering Friday.

The Jets are 1-2-1 in their last four games.

Maurice is 775-680-130 with 99 ties in 1684 career NHL games behind the bench with the Jets, Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers, and Toronto Maple Leafs, including 315-223-62 in 600 games with Winnipeg.

The Jets have averaged 2.96 goals-per-game (15th in the league) and 2.75 goals-against per game (13th) in addition to converting on 19.5% of their power plays (14th) and 68.8% of their penalty kills (31st) this season. They have also averaged 32.9 shots-per-game (12th) and 31.4 shots-against per game (tied for 15th).

Maurice led the Jets to the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times, where he went 16-23. The Jets went to the Western Conference Final in 2017-18 when they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Maurice is 41-51 in 92 career postseason games behind the bench.

Maurice also led the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in five games, and the Eastern Conference Final in 2009, where they were swept by the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

Lowry is the father of Jets center Adam Lowry.

Lowry was an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames (2009-12) and Los Angeles Kings (2017-19) previously. After spending the 2019-20 season as head coach of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, Lowry became an assistant on the Jets’ staff.

Maurice: “They need a new voice. They need somebody to help them get to that next place. … It’s the right time for it, and I know that.”

— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 17, 2021