Mike Commodore’s issues with Scott Arniel go back to Columbus. The former D-man played 20 games for Arniel in 2010-11, was scratched repeatedly, asked for a trade and was waived in January 2011. “I think it is personal,” he said of the scratches in a 2011 interview with The Columbus Dispatch. Arniel went 45-60-18 there and was fired in January 2012.
On Sunday in Raleigh, Scott Arniel watched his team take a 7-0 beating from the defending champion Hurricanes, its ninth straight loss. Stuart Skinner was pulled at 9:09 of the second period after allowing five goals on 17 shots. Arniel was then asked about his job. He said:
“Not in my mind. 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.”
Mike Commodore, now a regular on the Clearing the Crease podcast, needed no invitation. He opened a post on his X account by saying it was finally time for Arniel to be fired, then unloaded:
“Winnipeg Folks… I think it’s finally time for that arrogant d***hebag Arniel to #PackHisSh*t… the players are sick of him blaming everyone but himself…Arniel isn’t a leader… he’s a loser. He’s always one. Winnipeg deserves better,” wrote Commodore on X.
Captain Adam Lowry was asked about potential changes on the team, be it on the players’ side or the coaches, and did not hide from it:
“I think if (the streak) goes on, there’s going to be changes for sure. If you don’t start winning, you’ve got to find answers somewhere.”
The Winnipeg Jets‘ road trip ends Tuesday in Montreal, and whether Scott Arniel is behind the bench for it is a call he left to someone else.
Mike Commodore had warned about Scott Arniel right after his appointment as Jets HC in 2024
The Winnipeg Jets appointed Scott Arniel as the head coach in May 2024, promoting him from assistant to replace Rick Bowness, who retired after a first-round loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
Mike Commodore’s reaction from 2024 is now worth going back to, given the current state of the Winnipeg Jets.
Massive mistake by the #Jets. Scott Arniel is a loser. He’s been a loser his entire career. Got a chance years ago… his arrogance ruined everything… he’s spent the last 14 years with his nose up a**holes & his lips wrapped around ba*ls. #Loser
Scott Arniel’s first season produced a 56-22-4 record for the Jets with 116 points and the Presidents’ Trophy, but Winnipeg needed a double-overtime Game 7 to survive St. Louis and then lost to Dallas in six in the second round. Last season the Jets went 35-35-12 and missed the playoffs. In the current season, they have a 4-8-3 record.
Edited by Srihari Anand
