The Arizona Coyotes gave head coach André Tourigny a nice vote of confidence when they granted him a three-year contract extension on Wednesday.
The 49-year-old has led the Yotes for the past two seasons. At the head of the team, he held a record of 53-90-21. General Manager Bill Armstrong’s decision is hardly surprising after he had praised his instructor’s merits. The latter, for his part, expressed his delight at his return behind the bench.
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“The structure put in place by our management group has given our training a boost. I’m also fortunate to have a top-notch coaching team. It is a privilege and a pleasure to work with them on a daily basis. In addition, our high-performing development, medical and equipment staffs have done a great job and taken care of our players. It’s the best environment one can dream of,” Tourigny said in a statement.
“I am also very fortunate to work with our player group. Their hard work and dedication to the club over the past two years has laid the foundation for our corporate culture.”
A few weeks earlier, Armstrong had praised the pilot’s contribution. “He did very well in Stage 1,” the DG said on the National League’s website. He managed to sell his plan to the players. The players bought the culture and he convinced them to compete every night.
Before being signed by the Coyotes, Tourigny was an assistant head coach with the Colorado Avalanche (2013-2015) and the Ottawa Senators (2015-2016). He also managed the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (2003–2013), the Halifax Mooseheads (2016–2017), and the Ottawa 67’s (2017–2020) in junior hockey.