- Scott Arniel says his job status is “not on my mind” after Jets lose ninth straight
- Winnipeg fell 7-0 at Carolina and is 4-8-3 on the season
- Read below for what Adam Lowry said about changes if the slide continues
Scott Arniel isn’t worried about his job, even as the Jets sink deeper into the season.
The Winnipeg head coach was asked after Sunday’s 7-0 loss to the Hurricanes whether he’s concerned about his job status. It was the Jets’ ninth straight defeat.
“Not in my mind,” Arniel said. “I’ve been in this game a long, long time, and that’s beyond my control. My job is to get these players ready to go, and I’ve just got to keep doing my job.”
Here’s how he answered the question in Raleigh:
Arniel was also asked whether his message is still getting through to the room. He pointed the finger at the players.
“That’s your decision to make on that call,” he said. “I’m doing everything I possibly can with my coaching staff to hopefully get these guys ready to go. Once the puck drops, these guys have to also take some responsibility as well.”
He called the loss “pretty frustrating, pretty embarrassing as an organization.” Four of the five goals on Stuart Skinner came in a 7:14 stretch of the second period, and Skinner was pulled at 9:09 after allowing five on 17 shots. Clay Stevenson stopped 13 shots in relief.
Winnipeg was shut out for the first time this season. The Jets managed only three shots on goal in the first period and gave up a short-handed goal to Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker.
Captain Adam Lowry was more direct about where this is headed. Lowry was asked what happens if the losing continues.
“I think if (the streak) goes on, there’s going to be changes for sure,” Lowry said. “If you don’t start winning, you’ve got to find answers somewhere.”
The Jets are 0-7-2 during the slide and sit at 4-8-3. We covered the seventh straight loss and the start of this skid on Oct. 29.
This is Arniel’s third season behind the bench. He won the Presidents’ Trophy at 56-22-4 in his first year, then went 35-35-12 and missed the playoffs last season, and this year’s start is headed the same way.
Winnipeg wraps up its four-game road trip Tuesday night in Montreal. Whether Arniel is behind the bench for it is a question he left for somebody else to answer.
