WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets announced today they have hired Dave Lowry as an assistant coach.
“Dave brings a tremendous amount of experience to our coaching staff in a variety of different areas,” said Paul Maurice, head coach. “First of all, his success working with young players in their development can’t be denied as he had an excellent season last year in Brandon and has coached the country’s top junior players. He has worked in all aspects of special teams during his time as an NHL assistant coach, and in fact was part of a Los Angeles Kings team that saw a dramatic improvement of 25 goals at 5-on-5 in his first year there. We’re very excited to bring Dave on-board and join our staff.”
Lowry, 55, joins the Jets after spending the 2019-20 season as head coach of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. He led the club to a 35-22-6 record and the Wheat Kings had clinched a playoff berth when the league was paused.
Dave, the father of Jets forward Adam Lowry, has been an assistant coach for two different NHL clubs. Most recently, he worked for the Los Angeles Kings in 2017-18 and 2018-19 under head coaches John Stevens and Willie Desjardins. His other NHL coaching experience was as an assistant for the Calgary Flames for three seasons from 2009 to 2012 under head coach Brent Sutter.
Lowry, a native of Sudbury, Ont., began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Calgary Hitmen in 2005-06 before promotions to associate coach in 2007-08 and then head coach in 2008-09, when he led the Hitmen to the WHL finals. He returned to the WHL as head coach of the Victoria Royals for five seasons from 2012 to 2017, making the playoffs in all five seasons.
Lowry won a gold medal as an assistant coach for Canada at the 2015 World Juniors before serving as head coach for in 2016, when the Canadians lost to Patrik Laine and Sami Niku’s Finland squad in the quarterfinals. In addition, Lowry also served as an assistant coach for the WHL All-Stars in the CHL Canada/Russia Series in 2012-13 and the head coach for their entries in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Lowry was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round (110th overall) in the 1983 NHL Draft and went on to play 19 seasons in the NHL for Vancouver, St. Louis, Florida, San Jose, and Calgary. He is tied for 217th in career games played with 1,084 and he recorded 351 points (164G, 187A) and 1,191 PIMs, adding another 36 points (16G, 20A) and 181 PIMs in 111 playoff games.
