[Hockey News]

PHOENIX (AP) -The Phoenix Coyotes will hire former New York Rangers forward Don Maloney as their general manager, a person familiar with the decision said Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet made an announcement. The Coyotes have scheduled a news conference for Tuesday to announce the move.

Maloney is the Rangers' assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel. He has spent the past nine years in the Rangers' front office after 10 1/2 seasons as a left wing for the team.

Maloney will replace Michael Barnett, who was fired as part of a front-office shakeup after the Coyotes missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Barnett, who served as coach Wayne Gretzky's agent during Gretzky's playing career, spent six seasons with the Coyotes.

Coyotes to name Maloney new general manager

[ThePundit]

I hope he does a better job with Phoenix than he did with the Islanders a decade ago.

His biggest boneheaded move:

Hiring Mike Milbury

[ThePundit]

How can Maloney fire the coach (He owns the team)? It appears to me that Maloney will only be Gretzky's puppet. I would never take a job where I couldn't fire the coach, if I felt a change needed to be made.