Arizona Coyotes Name Ari Segal Chief Operating Officer
Furthering their shakeup and changes this offseason, the Arizona Coyotes announced they have hired Anaheim Ducks’ executive Ari Segal to be their Chief Operating Officer.
The Arizona Coyotes have seemingly made it their offseason mission to extend the on-ice rebuild to their off-ice operations in an effort to make the franchise more competitive in both areas.
That includes hiring on a new Chief Operating Officer.
The club poached the Anaheim Ducks’ President of Business Operations for their AHL affiliate and have made him the new sheriff in town on the business end of the Coyotes’ operation.
Here’s the press release regarding Segal’s hiring by the Arizona Coyotes:
"The Arizona Coyotes announced today that the Club has hired Ari Segal as the team’s Chief Operating Officer. Segal will report to Coyotes’ President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc."
"Segal joins the Coyotes from the Anaheim Ducks’ organization where he served both as President of Business Operations for Anaheim’s San Diego-based American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and Special Assistant to Ducks’ CEO Michael Schulman. Segal was a consultant to Schulman for the last three years, advising on a range of special projects including preparations for the new AHL club. Under Segal’s leadership, the Gulls finished second in attendance in the entire AHL during their inaugural season. Segal also recently worked with the NHL in New York in the league’s broadcast media strategy group, evaluating league and club broadcast rights and distribution deals.More from Howlin' HockeyHow the Arizona Coyotes could line-up with Logan Cooley signedReport: Logan Cooley could be closer to signing Arizona Coyotes ELCArizona Coyotes sign Matias Maccelli to three-year dealIvan Prosvetov signs one-year deal with Arizona CoyotesArizona Coyotes cut Galchenyuk after reported police incident"
"“We are very pleased to have Ari join our organization,” said Coyotes’ President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc. “Ari is intelligent, creative and passionate and we look forward to him bringing new and intriguing ideas to the Coyotes front office. We recently made some very positive changes to our hockey operations department and we are confident that the addition of Ari will enhance our business operations.”"
"Previously, Segal was an associate with McKinsey & Company in the firm’s sports practice, advising clients on business and performance strategy and operations with a focus on maximizing player performance through improved care and development (2011 & 2014)."
"Segal received his MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar, and his JD from Stanford Law School in 2013. He worked in private equity with CCMP Capital Advisors from 2007-09 and in investment banking with Lehman Brothers from 2005-07. Segal graduated from the University of Virginia with distinction in 2005."
This continued makeover suits the franchise well.
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Though the draft has provided bountiful assets, there are still many in-roads to be made both on-ice (with the hiring of John Chayka and empowerment of Dave Tippett) and off-ice in growing the brand and attracting and retaining fans and ticket holders.
The exciting thing is that with the pieces the franchise is acquiring five years out from now we may be seeing an entirely new perspective on hockey in the desert and the viability of the Arizona Coyotes franchise.