The Arizona Coyotes are going through tough times, as evidenced by their nine-game losing streak, but their general manager Bill Armstrong is still confident that head coach André Tourigny can find a solution to get his team back on track.
The “Yotes” lost 4-3 to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday and logically saw their chances of qualifying for the playoffs go up in smoke. They have a record of 23-27-4, good for 50 points and 13th place in the National Hockey League Western Conference. They are 10 points behind the drafted clubs in the second round.
• Also read: NHL: Kings spoil Jagr's night
• Also read: Roy and the Islanders collapse in front of nearly 80,000 people
Armstrong was also asked to comment on Tourigny's short-term future. Judging by his reaction, the 49-year-old pilot can sleep peacefully.
“Of course it is. “That's an irrelevant question and I'm not going to answer it anymore,” the CEO told PHNX Sports Media. As an organization, we're constantly evolving. You go through this kind of sequence during a recovery process. People forget that we are still here because we had success at the start of the season. But let's look at the teams that beat us: they are not bad teams. These setbacks were disappointing, but they are part of a learning process at this point .”
Tourigny, a former assistant coach with the Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, is in charge of a third season behind the Coyotes' bench. He was content with 76 wins in 218 games and his team never reached the playoffs under his leadership.
Arizona faces the Edmonton Oilers on Monday at 4 p.m. The duel will be broadcast on TVA Sports.