ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Bryan Murray stepped down as coach of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Thursday to become the team's senior vice president and general manager.

He replaces Pierre Gauthier, who was fired as GM on April 19.

The Mighty Ducks will begin a search for a new coach immediately after Murray declined to pull double duty as coach and general manager of the Ducks.

"There's no question that doing both is very, very difficult," Murray said. "I think it's only fair to players that they have a coach who can devote every day to their development."

In Murray's only season as its coach, Anaheim went 29-42-8-3 to finish 13th in the Western Conference and last in the Pacific Division. They missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season, falling 35 points shy of a postseason berth.

Murray was the Florida Panthers' general manager from 1994-01, and coached the team during the 1997-98 season. After joining the Panthers in August 1994, he put together a team that made the Stanley Cup finals in just its third year in the NHL.

He was Detroit's GM from 1990-94, and served as the Red Wings' coach for his first three seasons with the team. Taking over a Detroit team that went 28-34-14 the previous season, he helped the Red Wings go 170-121-37 during his four years as the GM, with the club making the playoffs each of the four seasons.

Murray said he didn't really hesitate to make the switch back to GM.

"Paul Pressler (Walt Disney Co. executive) has talked to me for some time. After finishing the year as coach, it was sort of my intent to get away for a while," Murray said. "But when the situation cropped up, having gotten to know the organization and the players, it didn't take a lot of persuasion.

"I know they (Disney) are committed and I think they have been. Now we have to show fans -- and players -- that we're going to be a good hockey team, show them that we can win."

Pressler, in charge of Disney's sports operations, said the Ducks are fortunate to have someone with Murray's experience.

"We are extremely confident his leadership skills and winning background will help us achieve our ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup championship," Pressler said.

Gauthier was in charge of both the business and hockey sides of the Mighty Ducks.

The team's owner, The Walt Disney Co., recently hired Douglas Moss as a senior vice president responsible for the Mighty Ducks' business operations. He had been president and chief executive officer of the International Hockey League since 1998.