Greg Cronin was named head coach of the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.
The 60-year-old will replace Dallas Eakins and fill the position for the first time in the NHL after five seasons captaining the Colorado Avalanche for MLS hockey in Loveland, Colorado.
“I am excited and honored to be named head coach of the Anaheim Ducks,” said Cronin. “This team has a great future ahead of them, and I’m so grateful to (owner Henry) Samueli’s family and (General Manager) Pat Verbeek for giving me this amazing opportunity.”
Eakins was fired on April 14, one day after the Ducks finished the regular season with a team record of 13 straight losses (0-11-2) and last in the NHL standings (23-47-12). They did not win their first regulation game until they defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 at the Honda Center on November 23. Anaheim ranked 31st in goals per game (2.51), last in goals against per game (4.09), and 31st in power play (15.7%) and penalty kills (72.1%).
The Ducks haven’t qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2017-18, when they were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Western Conference. They own the #2 pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 28-29.
“As we cast a wide net looking for the next coach, it became clear to me that Greg would be ideal for the job,” said Verbeek. “Being a young team, I felt we needed a mentor to the finer points of the game, someone who has worked extensively over time with talented young players, helping them develop into successful NHL players. Greg has done all of that and more, and we’re excited to name him as a team coach.” Anaheim Ducks”.
Cronin was an NHL assistant coach for 12 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders and an associate coach for the Islanders in 2017-18. He coached the New York AHL in Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 2003-05, leading the Sound Tigers to the Calder Cup Playoffs in his senior season.
Cronin coached Northeastern University for six seasons (2005-11). He won the Hockey East’s Bob Cullen Coach of the Year Award after the Huskies improved from three wins in his senior season to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009, the school’s first in 15 years.
Three NHL teams remain without a coach: Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and Rangers. The Washington Capitals hired Spencer Carberry on May 30, and the Nashville Predators hired Andrew Brunette as coach the next day.
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