The Coyotes have signed Sean Burke to a multi-year contract extension to serve as Assistant to the General Manager/Goaltender Coach.
In addition to his current responsibilities that include overseeing all goaltenders in the Coyotes system and player development, Burke will now work with Coyotes general manager Don Maloney, assistant general manager Brad Treliving and director of hockey administration Chris O’Hearn in all areas of hockey operations.
“We are very pleased to sign Sean to a contract extension,” Maloney said. “For the past three years, Sean has done a tremendous job working with all the goaltenders in our organization helping them improve and succeed on the ice. We look forward to him continuing in this role and also assisting our hockey operations department in all areas of the business.”
Under the guidance of Burke, the Coyotes goaltenders have flourished the past three seasons. In 2011-12, Burke helped Coyotes netminder Mike Smith reach career highs in games played (67), wins (38), goals against average (2.21), save percentage (.930) and shutouts (eighth). Smith ranked fourth in the NHL in wins, tied for third in save percentage, tied for third in shutouts and ranked ninth in GAA. In the post-season, Smith ranked tied for first in shutouts (three), third in save percentage (.944), fourth in wins (nine) and seventh in GAA (1.99).
In addition, in 2011-12, Coyotes goaltending prospect Mark Visentin won the Dave Pinkney Trophy for the Ontario Hockey League’s lowest GAA (shared with Christopher Festarini). In 2010-11, Visentin was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year and was selected to the OHL’s First All-Star Team. He also won bronze (2012) and silver (2011) medals with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships.
In 2010-11, Burke helped Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov become the first Coyotes goaltender to record consecutive 30-plus win seasons (36 and 42) since Nikolai Khabibulin (1996-99). Bryzgalov also became the all-time franchise leader in wins (130).
During his first year as Goaltending Coach in 2009-10, the Coyotes allowed the fewest goals in the Western Conference while goaltenders Ilya Bryzgalov and Jason LaBarbera ranked third in the NHL with a 2.34 GAA. Bryzgalov was a Second Team NHL All-Star and finishing as the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy and was fifth in the voting for the Hart Trophy (League MVP). He also shattered the franchise record for wins in a season (42) and tied the franchise record for shutouts in a single season (eight).
Burke spent parts of five seasons with the Coyotes from 1999-2004 during his 18-year NHL career, compiling a record of 97-78-29 with a 2.39 GAA, a .919 save percentage and 15 shutouts. He is the franchise’s career leader in GAA (2.39), ranks second in save percentage (.919) and third in wins (97) and shutouts (15).
