Latest news with #Quenneville
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Links Ducks With Former Joel Quenneville Star
NHL Insider Links Ducks With Former Joel Quenneville Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Anaheim Ducks are entering a crucial offseason following another year of missing the playoffs. Despite a big jump in the standings, Anaheim was still left on the outside looking in on everything. Advertisement But the team has already made some moves to rectify that, bringing in veteran head coach Joel Quenneville. Quenneville gives Anaheim an experienced leader behind the bench, and someone who understands what it takes to win at the highest level. While Quenneville is now with the team, the roster also needs a massive upgrade as well. Anaheim could be looking for both home-run hitters and sleeper, low-risk, high-reward players to help round out the team. One name that has made its way around NHL circles of late is that of former Chicago Blackhawks star Jonathan Toews. Toews is expected to make a comeback to the league after being away from the NHL for the last two seasons. And now the veteran is being linked with the Ducks, due to the connection that he has with Quenneville while in Chicago. Advertisement SportsNet's Elliotte Friedman weighed in on Friday's edition of his '32 Thoughts' podcast and named the Ducks as a potential fit. 'The reports are out now that Jonathan Toews is going to do his comeback next year,' Friedman said. 'I do wonder if Anaheim takes a shot at this. It makes a lot of sense.' Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) and right wing Patrick Kane (88) talk against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Chicago Blackhawks Guillory-Imagn Images Throughout his career, Toews has been great at winning faceoffs, putting up a 57 percent win rate. The Ducks were the worst faceoff team in the NHL last season, putting up a 44.6 percent rate. Toews could potentially help with this, while giving Anaheim a nice addition to the roster. In his last action on the ice, Toews scored 15 goals and 16 assists over 53 games. Advertisement While Toews isn't the same player that he once was, he could be a solid veteran to help show the young team the ropes. Anaheim could be a great place for him to go after his comeback, and he saw massive success under Quenneville in Chicago. Related: NHL Insider Drops Shocking Take on Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Related: Ducks Being Linked With 3-Time All-Star After Joel Quenneville Hire This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ducks' Cutter Gauthier Offers Strong Reaction to Joel Quenneville Hire
The Anaheim Ducks made some waves earlier this week with the hiring of former Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. Quenneville was reinstated by the NHL last summer after being away from the game for a few years. The veteran coach was named in an independent investigation into the 2010 Blackhawks scandal for allegations by former player Kyle Beach of sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich. Advertisement Many around the league had mixed feelings on the hiring of Quenneville, with some not believing that he deserved a second chance. But the veteran coach does offer Anaheim an experienced leader on the bench, and it seems that many of the players are excited. Ducks wing, Cutter Gauthier, weighed in on the matter, showing support for his new head coach. "Obviously a lot of excitement toward Joel," Gauthier told from the 2025 IIHF World Championship on Friday, when he opened the scoring for the United States at 17:52 of the first period in a 5-0 preliminary round win against Denmark. "I haven't got the chance to talk to him at all yet, but everyone I've heard that has played for him or heard about him has only said great things. As a young guy that's exactly what you want to hear. I'm super excited to get out there and meet him face to face. It'll be exciting." Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville in the first period in game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gauthier was great for the Ducks this past season, putting up 20 goals and 25 assists. The young star seems to be looking forward to playing under Quenneville, as he continues to develop his game. Advertisement Some won't ever accept Quenneville back in the league, and the veteran coach will need to continue showing that he has changed. There is a lot of work to be done, both on and off the ice. Related: Ducks Owner Breaks Silence on Joel Quenneville Hire
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Joel Quenneville hired as Ducks coach after 2021 resignation amid Blackhawks scandal
The Anaheim Ducks introduced Joel Quenneville as the franchise's 12th coach on Thursday and before they could get to the three-time Stanley Cup winner's attributes, they addressed the Chicago Blackhawks scandal. Quenneville had been out of hockey since he resigned as Florida Panthers coach in October 2021 after an outside law firm's investigation determined several Blackhawks team leaders failed to respond promptly to allegations that video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted player Kyle Beach in 2010. Advertisement The league had barred Al MacIsaac, Stan Bowman and Quenneville because of their "inadequate response" and cleared them to return in July. "What happened to Kyle Beach was horrific and inexcusable," Quenneville said Thursday. "I was sick to my stomach when I learned what had taken place. Had I known what had happened, I would have taken swift action. I own my mistakes. … I take full responsibility for not following up and asking more questions." General manager Pat Verbeek detailed the "comprehensive review" he had done, including talking to Beach. Quenneville said he talked to Beach, too, including Thursday morning. "I apologized to him and expressed my regret for not following up and taking action," he said. Advertisement He said he understands people saying he doesn't deserve a second chance, but he said he has talked to experts about abuse prevention — he read a long list — and will show doubters that the Ducks organization will be a safe place for players. Quenneville, 66, will replace Greg Cronin, who was fired after two seasons. The Ducks improved by 21 points last season but still finished 16 points out of the playoffs. They finished last in the league on the power play and in the bottom five in goals, penalty killing and 5-on-5 play. Verbeek says he sees a similarity to where the Ducks are and where the Blackhawks were when Quenneville took over and led them to three championships, starting in 2010. He said he became convinced Quenneville would be his coach after they watched and discussed video during their second meeting. 'I was impressed with the little details on how to play better defense, how to control the puck, how to become a puck-possession team," said Verbeek, who was Quenneville's teammate in New Jersey and Hartford. Advertisement Quenneville has 969 wins with St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago and Florida, ranking second in NHL history. Verbeek said he could have gone with a different coach to avoid backlash but once he was satisfied with the team's review, it came down to a hockey decision. 'It's my job to find the best coach for our team, and I believe that I have found the best coach for this team,' he said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joel Quenneville hired as coach of Anaheim Ducks
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Greg Cronin on the shock of Ducks firing and being replaced by Joel Quenneville
Greg Cronin was stunned when he got fired as Anaheim Ducks head coach last month despite a 21-point improvement in the standings this season. But when the name of Joel Quenneville quickly surfaced as his possible successor, it took some of the sting out of it for him. ''That makes sense now,' I thought,' Cronin recalled to The Athletic over the weekend. 'He's an unbelievable Hall of Fame coach.' Advertisement Quenneville is also a risky hire as far as alienating some in the Ducks fan base, though the team did feel it took the steps necessary before going down this path, as colleague Eric Stephens wrote last week. The Quenneville hire gave Cronin a bit more peace of mind as far as understanding his firing after only two years behind the Ducks bench. He got replaced by a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Cronin is in a better place now. 'I'm grateful,' Cronin said. 'I loved working here. For me to be able to coach the young kids here, I'm so grateful and proud of what they did. They've got a bright future.' Cronin actually heard from Quenneville over the weekend. 'He just wanted to tell me that he's grateful for the opportunity and thankful for what we did as a staff here to develop these guys and get them ready for the next chapter in their career,' Cronin said. 'He just said, 'Hey, I want to thank you.' He was very gracious about it. He said he was grateful about the opportunity because these players were all about to take off. And they are.' Coincidentally, Cronin and Quenneville interacted during the season when the Ducks were in Florida for games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers in mid-January. 'He was there watching, and I ended up talking to him for a long time,' Cronin recalled. 'I asked him to watch our team and tell me what he thought from a different set of eyes. So we spoke at length. We traded some good coach speak, and he gave me some good advice about what he saw.'' Little did Cronin know at the time he was talking to his eventual replacement. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek reiterated to The Athletic on Sunday just how difficult it was to fire Cronin, although clearly we know now that there was a bigger play at work with Quenneville. 'Greg laid a real good foundation for our team,' Verbeek said. 'We needed a major culture shift — and accountability shift. And I think he did a very good job there. Our players now have a really good understanding of accountability and culture. Greg did a really good job in that area.' Advertisement Verbeek hired Cronin to instill that culture change in the midst of a rebuild. 'I felt real comfortable that Pat felt confident that the rebuild would have some pain to it,' Cronin said, now looking back at his hire two years ago. 'I communicated to him that's what would happen. Because when you're trying to change standards and there's a radical change, there are going to be some people that resist it. When you're pushing some people to a level that they're not comfortable with, there's a reaction. Pat and I talked about this.'' So yes, Year 1 under Cronin was tough. 'I was pushing the highest possible standards I could,' Cronin said. 'I didn't know the players that well. So in this generation, it's critical that you build relationships with the players so that you can understand what they respond to. 'My first year, there were some guys who weren't comfortable. They were getting pushed. I thought my staff did a really good job balancing out the messaging, reinforcing it, trying to keep them focused on it.' But then came this season. There was obvious growth — and a jump in the standings, as the Ducks flirted with the outside of the playoff race in the second half before fading. 'We started out a bit slow, and we picked it up around December when we beat Winnipeg at home,' Cronin said. 'There was traction with what the standards were. You've got to have people compete as hard as they possibly can, and there's viability to their effort and then there's the connectivity to where the next play is going to be. We were starting to do that. Anyone that watched our team and looked at the standings saw definite progress.' As Cronin pointed out, the special teams struggled. The Ducks were last in the league on the power play and 29th on the penalty kill. But the program overall showed positive signs. Part of that was a softening of his approach before this season. He realized he pushed the players too hard at times in Year 1. Advertisement 'I was too hard and reactionary at times my first year,' Cronin said. 'I learned to dial that back in Year 2 as players drove the process. 'What I did in Year 1 was create nonnegotiable standards. We have to do these things to give ourselves the best chance to win. I do believe, at times, that I was hard on them. These standards are fundamental; they need to be executed to give ourselves the best chance to win. I pushed them hard. And I knew when I pushed them hard, there would be some guys that would be frustrated and angry. 'So what did I learn? That when you do that, some people don't like it and you run the risk of, No. 1, them disliking you, because I'm the guy holding them accountable; and No. 2, which is more dangerous, of them being disconnected. … It's OK if they don't like you because you're making them work at a rate or competitiveness that they're not comfortable with, but you can't push them to the point where they get disconnected.' An important lesson there, to be sure. It's one that Cronin will bring with him into his next NHL gig. Coaches have to evolve, and Cronin said that's what he's doing. 'I've learned a ton the last few years,' he said. 'I think the work and the ensuing progress we made this year is a reflection of not just me but I had a great staff who worked hard. I'm really proud of the environment we created. Like I said, last year, there was some shrapnel that went around, that I feel I could have done things better there. But I don't know that unless I do what I did. 'Part of being a good coach is that you have to evolve and you have to adapt. I think we adapted this year.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ducks' Joel Quenneville Releases Statement After Coaching Announcement
The Anaheim Ducks announced former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville as the new head coach of the team. Anaheim had gone through a long search, but landed on Quenneville to lead them forward. This was a controversial hiring by the Ducks, with many fans disagreeing with the decision. Quenneville was part of the 2010 scandal with the Blackhawks that covered up a sexual assault claim from a former player about a former video coach. Advertisement The veteran head coach was away from the game for a few years, but was reinstated by the NHL last summer. Other teams inquired about Quenneville, but the Ducks were the team to take the chance on him. During the introductory press conference, Quenneville gave a statement about the entire situation. "It's a new day and I'm going to learn more about myself and learn how to handle situations we went through," Quenneville said Thursday. "What survivors have gone through. "Been a long time since I went to an NHL game, but the first game I went to in almost four years was Anaheim played in Tampa Bay (on Jan. 14). I hadn't seen Tampa live in a long time, but I certainly hadn't seen much of Anaheim, and I watched the game and I was really impressed at the pace of the game and the skill and the speed that Anaheim had, and they're only kids. It was a great game to watch. They lost in overtime, but I was surprised and I was impressed." Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville during the first period against the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference qualifications at Scotiabank Arena. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images When Quenneville does step foot on the bench next season, it will be his first time since Oct. 2021. The former multi-time Stanley Cup-winning coach has a lot of work to do, both on and off the ice. Advertisement Some fans may never accept him being back in the NHL, but the Ducks believe he deserves the chance. Quenneville will now be tasked with helping a young team try to get back to the postseason. Related: Fans React to Ducks Controversial Hire of Joel Quenneville
