Scott Arniel

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Scott Arniel bigraphy, stories - Canadian ice hockey player

Scott Arniel : biography

September 17, 1962 –

Scott William Arniel (born on September 17, 1962), is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and a current assistant coach of the New York Rangers. Previously, he was the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Playing career

Junior hockey

After entering the major junior ranks with the Kingston Canadians of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) in 1978–79, Arniel switched to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League the next season to join the Cornwall Royals. Arniel played a pivotal role in the club’s 1981 Memorial Cup championship with a hat trick in an 8–2 win over the Kitchener Rangers on May 10, 1981.

Professional Career

That off-season, he was selected by the Winnipeg Jets 22nd overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft and immediately began playing for the team, making his NHL debut in 1981–82, appearing in 17 games. He was, however, returned to junior with the Royals, who had been realigned in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), later that season. The reassignment to junior gave Arniel the opportunity to play at the 1982 World Junior Championships, helping Team Canada to their first-ever gold medal at the tournament.

In 1982–83, Arniel joined the Jets full-time and recorded 18 points in his rookie season. He went on to play five seasons in his initial stint with the Jets, including a career-high 56-point campaign with the team in 1983–84. He joined the Buffalo Sabres in 1986–87, going on to play four seasons with Buffalo, before returning to the Jets in 1990–91.

After splitting the 1991–92 season between the Boston Bruins and the New Haven Nighthawks and Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League (AHL), Arniel played the remainder of his career in the minor leagues, spending time with the San Diego Gulls, Houston Aeros, Utah Grizzlies and Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League (IHL). He retired following the 1998–99 season.

Career statistics

Playing career

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1978–79 Kingston Canadians OMJHL 3 0 1 1 0
1979–80 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 61 22 28 50 51 18 6 6 12 22
1980–81 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 68 52 71 123 102 19 14 19 33 24
1981–82 Cornwall Royals OHL 24 18 26 44 43
1981–82 Winnipeg Jets NHL 17 1 8 9 14 3 0 0 0 0
1982–83 Winnipeg Jets NHL 75 13 5 18 46 2 0 0 0 0
1983–84 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 21 35 56 68 2 0 0 0 5
1984–85 Winnipeg Jets NHL 79 22 22 44 81 8 1 2 3 9
1985–86 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 18 25 43 40 3 0 0 0 12
1986–87 Buffalo Sabres NHL 63 11 14 25 59
1987–88 Buffalo Sabres NHL 73 17 23 40 61 6 0 1 1 5
1988–89 Buffalo Sabres NHL 80 18 23 41 46 5 1 0 1 4
1989–90 Buffalo Sabres NHL 79 18 14 32 77 5 1 0 1 4
1990–91 Winnipeg Jets NHL 75 5 17 22 87
1991–92 Boston Bruins NHL 29 5 3 8 20
1991–92 Maine Mariners AHL 14 4 4 8 8
1991–92 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 11 3 3 6 10
1992–93 San Diego Gulls IHL 79 35 48 83 116 14 6 5 11 16
1993–94 San Diego Gulls IHL 79 34 43 77 121 7 6 3 9 24
1994–95 Houston Aeros IHL 72 37 40 77 102 4 1 0 1 10
1995–96 Houston Aeros IHL 64 18 28 46 94
1995–96 Utah Grizzlies IHL 14 3 3 6 29 22 10 7 17 28
1996–97 Manitoba Moose IHL 73 23 27 50 67
1997–98 Manitoba Moose IHL 79 28 42 70 84 3 1 0 1 10
1998–99 Manitoba Moose IHL 70 16 35 51 82 5 1 2 3 0
OMJHL/OHL totals 24 18 26 44 43 3 0 1 1 0
QMJHL totals 129 74 99 173 153 37 20 25 45 46
IHL totals 530 194 266 460 695 55 25 17 42 88
AHL totals 25 7 7 14 18
NHL totals 730 149 189 338 599 34 3 3 6 39