The Arizona Coyotes have found their man.

The club announced on Thursday that former St. Louis Blues assistant general manager Bill Armstrong had been named the team's new GM.

"Bill is smart, honest and hard-working and he knows how to build a winning team," Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo said in a statement. "He brings the right mix of hockey knowledge, business acumen and leadership qualities that we need in order to achieve our goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to Arizona."

A native of Richmond Hill, Ont., Armstrong was a defenceman in his playing days and spent eight seasons in the American Hockey League. Upon his retirement, Armstrong joined the Blues in 2004 and served in a number of capacities including director of amateur scouting, as well as coaching in both the AHL and ECHL.

"We have great ownership that is committed to winning, a very good core group of young, talented players, and a passionate fan base," Armstrong said in a statement. "I'm excited about our future and the opportunity to build this team into a perennial playoff contender."

Armstrong becomes the 10th GM in franchise history and succeeds John Chayka, who left the club in the summer.

On Wednesday, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported that Armstrong's deal with the Coyotes was expected to be for five years.