Assistant Coaches Hay, Kyle Offered New Posts by Ducks

Someone had to take the fall for the Mighty Ducks’ worst season in their five-year history. So, the Ducks fired assistant coaches Don Hay and Walt Kyle on Thursday.

They have been offered other jobs within the organization. It’s believed Hay has been asked to coach the Ducks’ minor league affiliate in Cincinnati with Kyle moving into an administrative role to assist General Manager Jack Ferreira.

It was not immediately known whether they would accept their new assignments.

Hay coached the Phoenix Coyotes for one season in 1996-97 before joining the Ducks last summer. He also served as an assistant under Duck Coach Pierre Page with the Calgary Flames.

Kyle has been in the Duck organization, serving as a minor league coach and assistant in Anaheim, since 1994.

“This was a decision based solely on discussions between [Coach] Pierre Page and myself,” Ferreira said in a prepared statement.