Tue Sep 23 17:40:13 2008

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Coyotes name Muckler senior advisor to the GM

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Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - The Phoenix Coyotes hired John Muckler as senior advisor to the general manager.

"We are thrilled to add John Muckler to the Coyotes front office," said general manager Don Maloney. "His extensive hockey experience and wealth of knowledge will be an incredible asset to the organization."

A five-time Stanley Cup winner, Muckler has more than 50 years of professional hockey experience as part owner, general manager, director of player personnel, director of hockey operations, head coach, assistant coach, and player.

He began his professional coaching career as a player/coach in 1959 with the Eastern Hockey League's New York Rovers and then spent the next 20 years with various NHL organizations before joining the Edmonton Oilers in 1981.

During those 20 years, Muckler served briefly as head coach of the Minnesota North Stars in 1968-69 and won multiple regular season titles, playoff championships and league coach of the year honors in the minor leagues.

While with the Oilers, Muckler served as assistant coach for the Stanley Cup- winning teams in 1984 and 1985 and was designated co-coach during the 1987 and 1988 championship seasons. Muckler became the team's head coach in 1989 and led the club to its fifth Stanley Cup in seven years in 1990.

In 1991, Muckler left the Oilers for the Buffalo Sabres. He stepped behind the bench and coached the Sabres for the next four seasons while also assuming the role of general manager. A finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 1994, Muckler stepped down from coaching in 1995 to focus on his front-office duties.

Prior to joining the Ottawa Senators, where he was general manager from 2001-07, Muckler served as head coach of the New York Rangers from 1997-98 to 1999-00.

He has a 276-288-84 career record as an NHL head coach and has been a head coach or general manager for more than 2,000 professional games.