With too many distractions off the ice surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes, Wayne Gretzky decided his time running the club had come to an end.
Today, Gretzky resigned as head coach of the Coyotes after four seasons behind the bench.
Gretzky, 48, first joined the Coyotes as a managing partner in 2000. He was named head coach in August 2005 and posted a 143-161-24 record.
"This was a difficult decision that I've thought long and hard about," Gretzky said in a statement on his website. "We all hoped there would be a resolution earlier this month to the Coyotes ownership situation, but the decision is taking longer than expected. Since both remaining bidders have made it clear that I don't fit into their future plans, I approached General Manager Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach.
"I've loved the four years I spent coaching the Coyotes. Not a day went by when I took it for granted, and I will miss the competition of the NHL dearly. It was an honor to hold the position, and I will always consider myself especially fortunate to have had this opportunity."
The Coyotes later named Dave Tippett as the 17th head coach in franchise history.
"It is a great pleasure to welcome Dave Tippett as the new head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes," said Coyotes GM Don Maloney. "I have always been impressed with the playing style of the teams Dave has coached. He coaches his teams to play the game with intelligence, discipline, structure, a sense of urgency and a team-first approach. We feel we have assembled a first-class coaching staff that is comparable to any in the NHL and are looking forward to Dave leading us to success for many years to come."
Tippett, 48, spent the last six seasons as head coach of the Dallas Stars, posting a record of 271-162-59. Under Tippett's leadership, the Stars won two Pacific Division titles (2002-03 and 2005-06), made the playoffs in five out of six seasons and advanced to the 2008 Western Conference Finals.
Files from:
Orange County Register
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