Coyotes assistant coach Samuelsson heading to MODO of Swedish Elite League

Phoenix Coyotes associate coach Ulf Samuelsson, top, shouts instructions to players in place of head coach Wayne Gretzky against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Phoenix Coyotes are in the market for a new assistant coach.Coyotes GM Don Maloney announced Monday that assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson is leaving the NHL club to become head coach of MODO in the Swedish Elite League.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Paul Connors

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Phoenix Coyotes are in the market for a new assistant coach.

Coyotes GM Don Maloney announced Monday that assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson is leaving the NHL club to become head coach of MODO in the Swedish Elite League.

"On behalf of the entire Phoenix Coyotes organization, we congratulate Ulf on becoming the head coach of MODO," Maloney said in a statement. "We thank Ulf for all his hard work and dedication to the Coyotes over the past five seasons and we wish him the best of luck with MODO."

Samuelsson, 46, a native of Fagersta, Sweden, joined the Coyotes' coaching staff in 2006 after one season as an assistant coach with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack.

Samuelsson played 17 seasons in NHL with Hartford, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers. He registered 332 career points (57 goals, 275 assists).