Tucson Roadrunners general manager Doug Soetaert has been fired.
The first-year boss' termination was announced by the NHL's Arizona Coyotes on Thursday afternoon. The move is part of a front-office shift: Coyotes assistant Newell Brown was also fired, and pro scouts David MacLean and Jim Roque will not have their contracts renewed.
"I'd like to thank Newell, Doug, David and Jim for their contributions to the club," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said. "They are all good people but we believe these changes are necessary in order to improve our organization. We wish them the best in the future."
Soetaert, a longtime NHL player, spent last season as a western scout for the Coyotes. He was named the Tucson Roadrunners' general manager when the club relocated from Springfield, Massachusetts prior to the 2016-17 season. The Roadrunners started hot, but suffered a blow when captain Craig Cunningham collapsed and nearly died before a mid-November game at Tucson Arena. The team finished the season 29-31-8-0, missing the playoffs.
