Arizona Coyotes Head Coach Dave Tippett is anticipating his 500th career head coaching win…well not really.
See, Dave Tippett says it’s just a number. Whether it be 500, 501, or whatever…he doesn’t let it take over his thought process. In his seventh season as the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes, Tippett has won 228 games out of his total of 499 thus far in the NHL. Back in July 2013, Tippett decided he liked the challenge of the Coyotes, and signed a five-year extension, much to the chigren of his wife, Wendy.
“Are you kidding me?, she said. They have no owner. They have no money”, she said.
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"“His winning percentage was so good, and, of course, I wanted him to keep winning because that’s the name of the game. That’s how coaches are judged.”"
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All quotes are from AZCENTRAL.com’s Sarah McLellan.
Tippet told Sarah McLellan: “For four years we’ve been telling our players to be patient and be loyal and hang in there,” Tippett said when reached by telephone in British Columbia. “I don’t think that would have sent the right message if I decided to jump ship now.”
The Arizona Coyotes are glad he decided to stay coaching the team, since his abilities are just what the team needs to succeed. Tippett won the coveted Coach-of-the Year Jack Adams trophy for this contributions to the team’s success during the 107 point 2009-10 season. Known as a defensive coach, who won games with “pack mentality” where there were no superstars on the team to carry them individually, Tippett’s system fell into hard times last season.
It ate away at him, and even affected his home life. His wife Wendy can attest that losing does not fit into Dave’s mindset.
He, like the other management members of the Arizona Coyotes went into this new season with a refreshed mentality that if they got younger, and especially faster, they could be better.
Thus far, after about a quarter of the season already played, he is happy with the team’s progression, but still knows there are improvements which must happen.
He is excited about young players Max Domi, and Anthony Duclair (aren’t we all), and what they can do to contribute to the team’s goal of making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
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As the season progresses, Coach Tippett will be able to evaluate if his decision to stay the course and remain in Arizona was a wise one or not. For right now, he’s content with watching the young prospects play with zeal and determination. He expects a lot from his players, and he is respected by them as well.
“He’s kind of like an old-school coach in the new-school way,” former veteran defenseman Derek Morris said.”He relates to people the best way he can to get the best out of them, if that makes sense. So he’s not hard on everybody or easy on everybody.”