Sean Burke promoted to Phoenix Coyotes assistant to General Manager/Goaltending Coach -NHL Update
Taking into consideration on how goalie Mike Smith termed the presence of Sean Burke on the team to be of invaluable help to him, the Phoenix Coyotes have promoted the former National Hockey League (NHL) goalie to the role of assistant to general manager/goaltending
coach.
Announcement of Burke’s new role with the club was announced by Coyotes on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, as general manager Don Maloney made it public.
"We are very pleased to sign Sean to a contract extension," GM Don 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."
Previously, Burke was the team’s director of player development along with holding the title of goaltending coach. Now, he will just be higher in the ranks and overlooking the goaltending aspect of the franchise on a broader level.
Due to Burke’s abilities, Mike Smith ended as one of the best goalies in the NHL during the past 2011-2012 regular season along with being a solid performer in the playoffs. Phoenix Coyotes finished atop the Pacific Division for the first time in franchise
history along with making the Western Conference Finals.
Smith ended the previous regular season with 67 games played and a .930 save percentage along with an impressive 2.21 goals-against average. He was second overall in the postseason with a .944 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average in all 16 playoff
games played.
The multiyear contract, of which the financial terms and conditions along with exact length, have not been released by the team, seem to come as a reward for the former goalie as Phoenix hopes he will improve even further in the future.
Sean Burke himself was a part of the Phoenix Coyotes club as a goaltender for nearly five seasons and played for a number of teams like New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings.
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