Coyotes Announce 2012-13 Team Award Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, April 26, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The Phoenix Coyotes announced today the winners of the club’s 2012-13 team awards.

Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson won the Fry’s Food Stores Team MVP Award while captain Shane Doan captured the Desert Schools Leading Scorer Award. Center Boyd Gordon earned the Arizona Lottery Jukka Nieminen Memorial Trophy given to the player voted by the fans as the team’s hardest working player and goaltender Mike Smith won the Ganem Jewelers Three-Star Award. Forward Paul Bissonnette was selected as the Gila River Casinos Man of the Year Award for dedication to the community.

In his fourth NHL season, Ekman-Larsson has emerged as one of the NHL’s best defenseman. Entering tonight’s game against Colorado, the 6-foot-2, 190 pound Ekman-Larsson leads the Coyotes in time on ice per game (25:03) and ranks fourth in scoring with 3-20-23 to win the Fry’s Food Stores Team MVP Award. The Coyotes broadcast media along with beat writers from the Arizona Republic and Foxsportsarizona.com voted for the award.

Coyotes captain Shane Doan leads all Coyotes players in goals and points with 13-13-26 after 46 games to capture the Desert Schools Leading Scorer Award. The 6-foot-1, 223 pound Doan also leads the team in hits (118) and all Coyotes forwards in shots (127).

Center Boyd Gordon received the Jukka Nieminen Memorial Trophy as the Coyotes’ hardest working player. The 6-foot-0, 200 pound Gordon leads the team in faceoff percentage (58.1%) and all Coyotes forwards in blocked shots (41). Gordon was selected as the winner by fans who voted at PhoenixCoyotes.com.

Entering tonight’s game versus the Colorado Avalanche, Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has earned 29 star points in 2012-13 to win the Ganem Jewelers Three Star Award. Smith has been selected a first star (7) times and has been chosen as a first star at Jobing.com Arena (4) times this season. The 6-foot-4, 215 pound Smith has posted a record of 15-12-4 this season and is tied for the NHL lead in shutouts with five.

Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette earned the Gila River Casinos Man of the Year Award for his dedication, commitment and passion for bettering the lives of those in the community during his fourth season as a member of the Coyotes.

Bissonnette was very active in the community this season working with several charities including Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) which provides shelter and supportive services to nearly 10,000 of the Valley’s homeless each year. For over 25 years, CASS has been empowering homeless individuals and families to become self-sufficient and effectively end their homelessness.

For the second straight season, Bissonnette brought 100 homeless individuals from the CASS Vista Colina Emergency Family Shelter to a Coyotes game. The Coyotes donated the tickets and Bissonnette paid for the transportation from the shelter in Phoenix and for food vouchers for all in attendance.

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Coyotes Sign Klinkhammer to Two-Year Deal

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed forward Rob Klinkhammer to a two-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are very pleased to sign Rob to a multi-year contract,” said Maloney. “Rob is an excellent skater and hard-working forward who has earned a spot on our roster with his strong play last season. We look forward to having him on our team next year.”

The 6-foot-3, 214-pound Klinkhammer appeared in a career-high 22 games with the Coyotes this season recording 5-6-11 and 10 penalty minutes (PIM). He ranked second on the team with a plus-7 rating and established a career-high five-game point streak from March 25 to April 2.

The 26-year-old native of Lethbridge, Alberta has posted 5-8-13 and12 PIM in 38 career NHL games. Klinkhammer originally signed with the Coyotes as a free agent on July 13, 2012.

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Coyotes Assign Stone, Bolduc and Conner to AHL

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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned defenseman Michael Stone, forward Alexandre Bolduc and forward Chris Conner to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Stone appeared in a career-high 40 games with the Coyotes this season recording 5-4-9 and 16 penalty minutes (PIM). The 22-year-old native of Winnipeg, Manitoba also totaled 6-22-28 and 20 PIM in 36 games with the Pirates in 2012-13. Stone was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the third round (69th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Bolduc has appeared in 14 games with the Coyotes this season. The 27-year-old native of Montreal, Quebec has recorded 24-27-51 and 90 PIM in 56 games with the Pirates in 2012-13 and ranks second on the team in scoring. Bolduc was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round (127th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pound Conner has appeared in 12 games with the Coyotes this season totaling 1-1-2 and a plus-3 rating. The 29-year-old native of Westland, Mich., has registered 13-27-40 and 28 PIM in 60 games with the Pirates this season. Conner signed with the Coyotes as a free agent on July 2, 2012.

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Coyotes Assign Brown to AHL

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Friday, April 12, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned forward Chris Brown to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Brown has appeared in five games with the Coyotes this season. He has also played in 63 games with the Pirates in 2012-13 collecting 25-15-40 and 94 penalty minutes (PIM).

The 22-year-old native of Flower Mound, Texas was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the second round (36th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft.

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Coyotes to Hold Fan Appreciation Night on April 26

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Monday, April 15, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that the team will hold Fan Appreciation Night on Friday, April 26 when the Coyotes host the Colorado Avalanche for their final regular season home game of 2012-13. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Jobing.com Arena.

Fan Appreciation Night is a long-standing Coyotes tradition which recognizes fans for their loyalty and support throughout the season. Fans in attendance at the game will be treated to giveaways offering a variety of prizes that will be awarded throughout the evening. All fans in attendance will receive a Coyotes rally towel courtesy of Arizona Lottery and a poster that features Coyotes captain Shane Doan, assistant captains Keith Yandle and Martin Hanzal, along with goaltender Mike Smith and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. In addition, five lucky fans will receive autographed player jerseys from Coyotes captain Shane Doan, Keith Yandle, Mike Smith, Mikkel Boedker and Antoine Vermette.

“Fan Appreciation Night is a great opportunity for us to thank our fans for their tremendous support and loyalty throughout the season,” said Coyotes President & COO Mike Nealy. “We are thrilled to dedicate this game to our fans and we hope that they enjoy the great giveaway items that we have lined up for them.”

The Coyotes will also present their annual team awards prior to the game. Honors include the Fry’s Food Stores Most Valuable Player Award; the Desert Schools Leading Scorer Award; the Ganem Jewelers Three Star Trophy; the Gila River Casinos Man of the Year Trophy; and the Arizona Lottery Jukka Nieminen Memorial Trophy which is presented to the team’s hardest working player.

For more information or to purchase tickets call 480-563-PUCK.

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Hockey Canada Names Tippett to Coaching Staff for 2013 IIHF World Championship

CALGARY – Hockey Canada, along with executive director Steve Yzerman and the National Men’s Team management group, announced Saturday that Dave Tippett (Moosomin, Sask./ Phoenix Coyotes, NHL) and Barry Trotz (Dauphin, Man./Nashville, NHL) will join the coaching staff for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Earlier this month, Hockey Canada announced head coach Lindy Ruff (Warburg, Alta.) and assistant coach Doug Shedden (Wallaceburg, Ont./EV Zug, SUI) as members of the staff.

Dave Tippett, 51, has just completed his fourth season as head coach of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, and ninth year as a head coach in the NHL. The native of Moosomin, Sask., coached the Dallas Stars from 2002-09, winning the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2010 after leading the team to 50 wins. Tippett won a silver medal at the 2009 IIHF World Championship, as a member of the coaching staff that also included head coach Ruff and Trotz. As a player, Tippett represented Canada at two Olympic Winter Games (1984, 1992), winning a silver medal in 1992, and serving as team captain in 1984.

Barry Trotz, 50, has been the head coach of the NHL’s Nashville Predators since the franchise’s debut in 1998-99. This will mark his fourth time on a Team Canada coaching staff, having served as an assistant coach at the 2002 and 2003 IIHF World Championships, winning gold in 2003, and winning silver as an associate coach under Ruff, with Tippett, at the 2009 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. Trotz is the longest tenured coach in the NHL at 1,113 games, and has the second longest active tenure in all four major sports, behind only Gregg Popovich of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.

Hockey Canada’s National Men’s Team management group is comprised of Yzerman (Nepean, Ont./Tampa Bay, NHL), along with Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL), Kevin Lowe (Lachute, Que./Edmonton, NHL), Bob Nicholson (Penticton, B.C./Hockey Canada) and Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, B.C./Hockey Canada). Peter Chiarelli (Ottawa, Ont./Boston, NHL) will serve in an advisory capacity.

The management group is overseeing all operations for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the world championship, including staff selection, player identification and selection as well as team operations. Hockey Canada’s senior director of national teams and hockey operations, Scott Salmond, will oversee team logistics, working closely with the management group.

Hockey Canada will be announcing its player roster for the world championship in the coming days.

The 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship runs from May 3-19 in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. Canada will be based out of Stockholm for the duration of the event, opening on May 4 against Denmark. All of Canada’s games will be broadcast on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster. Check local listings for game times in your area.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men .

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Coyotes Recall Nick Johnson & Chad Johnson from AHL

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Monday, April 15, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have recalled forward Nick Johnson and goaltender Chad Johnson (emergency basis) from the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Nick Johnson has appeared in 17 games with the Coyotes this season totaling 4-2-6 and a plus-3 rating. He has also posted 3-6-9 and 13 penalty minutes (PIM) in 14 games with the Pirates in 2012-13.

The 27-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta has recorded 14-23-37 and 52 PIM in 104 career NHL games. Johnson was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (67th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Chad Johnson has made three starts for the Coyotes this season posting a 2-0-1 record with a 1.32 goals against average (GAA) and .949 save percentage (SV %). He recorded 21 saves in his first career NHL shutout against Nashville on Jan. 28, 2013.

The 26-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta has also appeared in 34 games with the Pirates this season posting a 16-15-1 record with a 3.00 GAA and .903 SV %. Johnson was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (125th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyotes Assign Chad Johnson & Nick Johnson to AHL

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Monday, April 22, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned goaltender Chad Johnson and forward Nick Johnson to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Chad Johnson has made four starts for the Coyotes this season posting a 2-0-2 record with a 1.21 goals against average (GAA) and .954 save percentage (SV%). He recorded 21 saves in his first career NHL shutout against Nashville on Jan. 28, 2013.

The 26-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta has also appeared in 34 games with the Pirates this season posting a 16-15-1 record with a 3.00 GAA and .903 SV%.

Johnson was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (125th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Nick Johnson has appeared in 17 games with the Coyotes this season totaling 4-2-6 and a plus-3 rating. He has also posted 3-6-9 and 13 penalty minutes (PIM) in 14 games with the Pirates in 2012-13.

The 27-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta has recorded 14-23-37 and 52 PIM in 104 career NHL games. Johnson was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (67th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyotes Assign Johnson to AHL

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Sunday, April 7, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned goaltender Chad Johnson to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Johnson has made three starts for the Coyotes this season posting a 2-0-1 record with a 1.32 goals against average (GAA) and .949 save percentage (SV %). He has also appeared in 32 games with the Pirates this season posting a 16-13-1 record with a 2.87 GAA and .909 SV %.

The 26-year old native of Calgary, Alberta was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (125th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyotes Sign Rieder to Entry-Level Contract

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Monday, April 15, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed forward Tobias Rieder of the Kitchener Rangers (Ontario Hockey League) to a three-year entry-level contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Rieder recorded 27-29-56 and 12 penalty minutes (PIM) in 52 games with the Rangers this season. He led the team in points and ranked second in goals and assists while he has also collected 2-10-12 and four PIM in nine playoff games.

In 2011-12, the 20-year-old native of Landshut, Germany registered 42-42-84 and 25 PIM in 60 games with the Rangers. He led the OHL with 13-14-27 in 16 postseason games last season.

Rieder was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyotes Announce Long-Term Contract Extension for General Manager Don Maloney

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Friday, May 24, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Maloney has signed a long-term contract extension. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased that Don has agreed to sign a long-term contract extension with the Coyotes," said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. "Since joining the team in 2007, Don has done an outstanding job managing his team and building a competitive roster that has produced on the ice, even given less than ideal circumstances off the ice. The NHL remains committed to securing the Coyotes' future in Glendale under new ownership, and we believe Don's long-term agreement evidences that he is equally committed."

In six seasons under Maloney’s leadership, the Coyotes have posted an impressive record of 230-172-56 including qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times.

"I am grateful to continue working for this franchise," said Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney. "We have a strong core of talented people, both on and off the ice, who are committed to building a championship team and a first class organization. I would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for their tremendous support these past few years."

In 2011-12, Maloney led the Coyotes to a 42-27-13 record and 97 points, securing their first division championship en route to the franchise’s first appearance in the Western Conference Final. It marked the first time in franchise history that the Coyotes had recorded three consecutive seasons with 40-plus wins. In addition, the Coyotes reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive year, marking the first time the franchise qualified for the postseason in three or more consecutive seasons since the team clinched a playoff berth in its first four seasons in the Valley (1996-97 to 1999-00).

Maloney received the inaugural NHL General Manager of the Year Award following the 2009-10 season after steering the Coyotes through a turbulent off-season and charting the course for the most successful regular season in franchise history. The team finished the 2009-10 campaign with a record of 50-25-7 for 107 points, setting new franchise records for wins, home wins (29), points, and longest home winning streak (10 games; Nov. 21-Dec. 29) while qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2002.

In his first season as general manager of the Coyotes in 2007-08, Maloney’s club posted a record of 38-37-7 for 83 points, an improvement of seven wins and 16 points from the previous season. The 16-point increase represented the fifth-largest point increase by an NHL team during the 2007-08 season and was also the greatest one-season point increase in Coyotes history.

Among Maloney’s stable of highly-regarded draft selections during his tenure as Coyotes GM are: defensemen Connor Murphy (20th overall, 2011), Brandon Gormley (13th overall, 2010), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (sixth overall, 2009), Maxim Goncharov (123rd overall, 2007), goaltender Mark Visentin (27th overall, 2010), forwards Henrik Samuelsson (27th overall, 2012), and Mikkel Boedker (eighth overall, 2008).

Maloney was named GM of the Coyotes on May 29, 2007. He is the seventh general manager in Coyotes/Jets franchise history.

Prior to joining the Coyotes in 2007, the 54-year-old a native of Lindsay, Ontario, spent the previous 10 seasons as a member of the New York Rangers’ front office, most recently serving as the team’s Vice President of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager. He was primarily responsible for assisting Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather in all player transactions and contract negotiations.

Maloney also served as Assistant General Manager for Team Canada squads that won gold medals at the 2003 and 2004 IIHF World Championship in Finland and Czech Republic, respectively.

Maloney’s first front office position in the NHL was Assistant General Manager of the New York Islanders following his retirement as a player with the club on Jan. 17, 1991. Maloney later served as General Manager from Aug. 17, 1992 to Dec. 2, 1995. Among the players drafted by the Islanders during Maloney’s tenure with the club were Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Zigmund Palffy, Tommy Salo and Darius Kasparaitis.

Maloney also served as Eastern Professional Scout for the San Jose Sharks during the 1996-97 season prior to joining the Rangers’ front office.

As a player, Maloney registered 214 goals, 350 assists and 564 points and 815 penalty minutes in 765 regular season games over 13 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Hartford Whalers and Islanders. He also collected 22 goals, 35 assists and 57 points in 94 career Stanley Cup playoff games.

Maloney spent 11 seasons with the Rangers after being selected by the club in the second round (26th overall) of the 1978 NHL Entry Draft. He helped lead the Rangers to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final by posting 20 points (7-13-20) that postseason, a playoff record for rookies at the time (since broken). Maloney played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1983 and 1984. He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1984 All-Star Game.

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Coyotes Recall Bolduc and Rundblad from AHL

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Saturday, April 6, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have recalled forward Alexandre Bolduc and defenseman David Rundblad on an emergency basis from the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes’ American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Bolduc has appeared in seven games with the Coyotes this season. He has recorded 24-27-51 and 90 penalty minutes (PIM) in 56 games with the Pirates. The 27-year-old native of Montreal, Quebec ranks second on the team in goals, tied for third in assists, and leads the team in points.

Bolduc was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round (127th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Rundblad has appeared in eight games with the Coyotes this season recording 0-1-1. The 22-year-old native of Lycksele, Sweden has recorded 8-26-34 and 22 PIM in 44 games with Portland this season and leads all defensemen on the team in scoring.

Rundblad was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (17th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyotes Assign Rundblad to AHL

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned defenseman David Rundblad to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Rundblad has appeared in eight games with the Coyotes this season recording 0-1-1. The 22-year-old native of Lycksele, Sweden has recorded 8-26-34 and 22 penalty minutes (PIM) in 44 games with Portland this season and leads all defensemen on the team in scoring.

Rundblad was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (17th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

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