Though Devan McConnell was the New Jersey Devils' director of performance science and reconditioning, his new job with the Arizona Coyotes is a step up from that title.
McConnell, announced Thursday as the Coyotes' high performance director, will have a critical role within the club's hockey operations department. It involves maximizing performance, minimizing injury risk, optimizing fitness and nutrition levels and putting together training regimens for the Coyotes and AHL Tucson Roadrunners players and prospects.
He'll get to implement his vision and philosophy in a position of leadership, overseeing such team departments as strength and conditioning. The job is a new position to the club, created by Armstrong, who said the Coyotes will be more focused on improving the team through sports science.