Jets head coach Paul Maurice resigns before game against Capitals; Temporary replacement named Dave Lowry

Photo: Yahoo Finance

Just before their game against the Washington Capitals at the Canadian Life Center on Friday (8pm ET, NBC Sports Washington in market, ESPN+ out in market), the Winnipeg Jets announced that head coach Paul Maurice resigned. Assistant Dave Lowry will act as interim replacement for Maurice.

The Jets are 13-10-5 this season, three points behind Edmonton Oilers for last place in the final group of the Western Conference with each team playing 28 games on Friday.

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

Lowry is the father of Jets center Adam Lowry.

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

The Jets have averaged 2.96 goals per game (15th in the league) and 2.75 goals per game (13th) in addition to converting 19.5% of tees (14th) and 68th, respectively. 8% of their penalty kills (31st) this season.

Maurice led the Jets to the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times, with a scoreline of 16-23. The Jets reached the 2017-18 Western Conference finals when they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

Maurice also led the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals and 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, where they were swept by eventual champions the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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

By Harrison Brown