Anaheim Ducks Set to Hire Joel Quenneville as Head Coach

Anaheim, California—The Anaheim Ducks are expected to announce Joel Quenneville as their new head coach, according to reports from TSN Hockey Insiders Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger. The announcement is anticipated to be made Thursday morning.

Quenneville, 66, resigned from his previous position as coach of the Chicago Blackhawks in the fall of 2021 after facing scrutiny for his handling of allegations related to player abuse by an assistant coach during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. His departure followed the resignation of Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and executive Al MacIsaac.

Following an extensive background check related to the Kyle Beach case, which revealed the inadequate responses from Quenneville and others, the NHL granted him permission to return to coaching in July 2024. Dreger reported on X that this thorough vetting process considered Quenneville’s efforts to amend his past mistakes.

Quenneville previously led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup victories in 2010, 2013, and 2015, and he is currently the second-winningest coach in NHL history, with 969 career wins. He replaces Greg Cronin, who was let go after the Ducks finished the season with a 35-37-10 record, missing the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

The Ducks made strides last season, improving from 59 to 80 points but still fell short of playoff contention. The organization hopes that Quenneville’s experience and championship pedigree will revitalize their young roster.

Quenneville, who has coached in the NHL for over two decades, has a career record of 969-572-150 with 77 ties from his time with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers.

The announcement of Quenneville’s hiring reflects both a return to the NHL and a notable step for the Ducks as they aim to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.