It's Official: Coyotes Announce Tippett Hiring

NHL.com has the story, which means Dave Tippett is no longer “reportedly” the coach of the Coyotes. He merely is. (It’s sort of zen-like, when you think about it.)

Anyway, this also means former coach and hockey uber-star Wayne Gretzky is gone, and Gretzky took the NHL’s story as an opportunity to deliver his parting words:

“This was a difficult decision that I’ve thought long and hard about,” Gretzky wrote in a post on his official Web site. "We all hoped there would be a resolution earlier this month to the Coyotes ownership situation, but the decision is taking longer than expected. Since both remaining bidders have made it clear that I don’t fit into their future plans, I approached General Manger Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach.

“I’ve loved the four years I spent coaching the Coyotes. Not a day went by when I took it for granted, and I will miss the competition of the NHL dearly. It was an honor to hold the position, and I will always consider myself especially fortunate to have had this opportunity.”