Tippett agrees to new contract with Coyotes
Dave Tippett flew to Sydney, British Columbia, on Thursday to see his mom, Maggie, and enjoy some peace of mind. By the time the night had ended, the National Hockey League had given him a good head start on the latter.
Tippett, who has coached the Phoenix Coyotes for the most successful four-year stretch in franchise history, agreed to terms on a new deal Friday morning. The deal is believed to be similar to the five-year, $10 million deal Alain Vigneault signed Friday to become the new coach of the New York Rangers.
"The last four years have been fun and rewarding, having the ability to mold an organization with a group people you really enjoy," said Tippett, whose contract was set to expire on June 30. "We’ve started to put the blocks in place where I think we can be a very good organization."
In four seasons under Tippett, the Coyotes have posted an impressive record of 156-96-42 and have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs three times. Tippett ranks second on the franchise’s all-time wins list, and his .602 points percentage is the highest of any head coach in franchise history.
"Elite coaching is required to win on a consistent basis and Dave is one of the best at his job in today’s game," GM Don Maloney said in a statement. "His work ethic, attention to detail, communicative skills and patience make him an ideal fit with our group as we work to build a franchise capable of winning the Stanley Cup."
It should be noted that a new deal for Tippett doesn’t necessarily mean the City of Glendale is set to approve a new lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena with prospective ownership group Renaissance Sports and Entertainment. If the deal fails, Seattle has been rumored as a possible Plan B. Tippett’s oldest daughter, Nicole, lives there and has two sons. That would make Seattle a very attractive option for Tippett and his wife, Wendy.
That doesn’t mean the deal isn’t without stipulations. It is believed Tippett’s contract contains clauses that allow him to leave the team if it relocates to a location he does not want, or if ownership changes hands again from RSE to another majority owner.
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