The Arizona Coyotes have named Steve Potvin head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.
Potvin, 47, enters his sixth season with the Roadrunners and seventh season with the Coyotes organization in 2022-23. He served as a skills coach in 2016-17 before joining Tucson as an assistant coach in 2017-18. He was elevated to head coach in January 2021 following Jay Varady’s promotion to Arizona, and served as associate head coach when Varady returned to the Roadrunners in 2021-22.
“Steve proved two seasons ago that he could lead the Roadrunners behind the bench,” said Tucson general manager John Ferguson. “He continues to make strides as a head coach and provides internal continuity for our organization. He is absolutely the right candidate at the right time to lead the Tucson Roadrunners now and into the future.”
With Potvin serving as an assistant, the Roadrunners won Pacific Division titles in 2017-18 and 2019-20. Twenty Roadrunners have made their NHL debuts with the Coyotes, including eight during the 2021-22 season, and Tucson’s power play under Potvin’s direction operated at a team-record 21.5 percent efficiency last season.
The Montreal native joined the Coyotes after a 16-year professional playing career that included 158 games in the American Hockey League with the Baltimore Bandits, Portland Pirates, Albany River Rats and Hamilton Bulldogs.