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.
