GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Don Maloney has held one of the most unenviable positions in sports the past four years, trying to build a roster with no owner and a skimpy budget. He managed to navigate his way through it successfully, leading the Phoenix Coyotes to the playoffs three times and the best season in franchise history two years ago. The NHL rewarded Maloney on Friday, signing the Coyotes general manager to a long-term contract that will keep him with the franchise no matter where it ends up playing. "We are very pleased that Don has agreed to sign a long-term contract extension with the Coyotes," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "Since joining the team in 2007, Don has done an outstanding job managing his team and building a competitive roster that has produced on the ice, even given less than ideal circumstances off the ice. The NHL remains committed to securing the Coyotes future in Glendale under new ownership, and we believe Dons long-term agreement evidences that he is equally committed." Maloney has been Phoenixs general manager for six seasons, the past four while operating under the restraints of being run by the NHL after former owner Jerry Moyes took the franchise into bankruptcy in 2009. Maloney was honoured as the leagues General Manager of the Year Award in 2010 and led Phoenix to three straight 40-win seasons for the first time in franchise history. Maloney also pulled the strings to build a roster in 2011-12 that earned the Coyotes their first division title in 33 years as an NHL franchise and their first trip to the Western Conference finals. The lack of an owner seemed to catch up to the Coyotes this year, when they went 21-18-9 in the lockout-shortened season, but they finished only four points out of making the playoffs. Phoenix still doesnt have an owner, but a resolution to the saga is expected to come this season, either with a new owner that will keep the team in Arizona or with relocation. Maloneys contract, along with coach Dave Tippetts, was set to expire this summer. "I am grateful to continue working for this franchise," Maloney said in a statement released by the team. "We have a strong core of talented people, both on and off the ice, who are committed to building a championship team and a first class organization. I would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for their tremendous support these past few years." The 54-year-old Maloney joined the Coyotes after 10 seasons in the New York Rangers front office. He also worked for the New York Islanders, serving as general manager in 1992-95, and was a scout for the San Jose Sharks in 1996-97. Maloney played 13 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Hartford Whalers and Islanders. Cheap Custom Dolphins Jersey . 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That second new ball we took on the last day, it was three overs in and there were big chunks out of the ball, du Plessis said. Here will be different. Its lush, its green, its soft, its wet. It will seam and swing, it wont reverse that much.Rain is forecast for the first three days of the match but on the off chance things dry up, du Plessis said he believed Australia were just as capable of working on the ball. He knows as much from personal experience, having faced a reverse-swinging ball as early as the 25th over in Perth.To say it was only for us is definitely not true, du Plessis said. I faced a brilliant spell from Starc, bowling around the wicket, reversing the ball a hell of a lot. It was extremely difficult. I think it waas exactly split down the middle 50-50 in terms of reverse.dddddddddddd.We were watching the first innings and they got the ball to reverse in the 25th over. I was quite impressed. I was trying to see how they were doing that because it meant they were getting something right. They were getting it to go early.The difference, according to du Plessis, was in how the two batting line-ups fared. We had batters that were in and batted for long periods of time, he said. When youve got big partnerships, it just looks easier. I remember in the second innings I came in and the first ball nipped and swung and I was like, What is going on here? These guys have got a partnership of about 300, it should be a lot easier than this.If you get a wicket, reverse-swing will always be more difficult for guys coming in. Thats a fact. They just lost more wickets, thats why it was a little bit harder for them.But now that the series has moved on, du Plessis does not want to dwell too much on reverse-swing and focus instead on seam movement and conventional swing, which will come into play at the Bellerive Oval. I think, to be really honest, its been blown out of proportion a little bit, he said. ' ' '