Coyotes extend associate coach Jim Playfair, shuffle front office structure

On Monday, the Arizona Coyotes signed associate coach Jim Playfair to a multi-year contract extension, ensuring the Glendale, Ariz. based club returns an identical coaching staff to the one they had behind the bench for the 2013-14 season. 

A career coach, Playfair has worked with Dave Tippett behind Coyotes bench for the past three seasons and has generally run the defense. Before joining the Coyotes, Playfair worked with the Calgary Flames organization for a decade and served as the club's head coach during the 2006-07 season. 

In addition to extending Playfair, the club has shuffled their front office structure somewhat. Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic explains:

The team also announced that it signed director of pro scouting Frank Effinger to a multiyear contract extension and promoted Chris O'Hearn to vice president of hockey operations. [...]
Effinger is entering his seventh season with the Coyotes and fifth as director of pro scouting. Responsible for all professional scouting, Effinger has been credited for helping the Coyotes acquire forwards Sam Gagner and Antoine Vermette and goalie Mike Smith. Before joining the Coyotes, Effinger was a scout for the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild.
O'Hearn, who was previously the team's senior director of hockey operations, is embarking on his eighth season with the franchise. His responsibilities include player contract research and negotiations, salary arbitration, salary-cap management and compliance with the collective bargaining agreement.

Coyotes ownership recently vowed that the club wouldn't be a floor team this upcoming season. They arguably demonstrated their willingness to spend when the club bought out Mike Ribeiro.