The Anaheim Ducks named veteran coach Greg Cronin as their head coach on Monday.
It is the first NHL head coaching job for Cronin, 60, who has three decades of experience that includes a dozen years as an NHL assistant and coaching across various levels in the American Hockey League and the college ranks.
He replaces Dallas Eakins, who was fired April 14 after the Ducks finished 23-47-12.
“I’m excited and honored to be named head coach of the Anaheim Ducks,” Cronin said. “This team has a fantastic future ahead.”
Most recently, Cronin coached the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Avalanche, the past five seasons. He was an NHL assistant coach for 12 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, and Islanders associate coach in 2017-18.
The Ducks last appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2017-18, when the San Jose Sharks posted a sweep in the Western Conference first round.
Cronin will have a hand in selecting the No. 2 pick, which belongs to the Ducks, in the NHL draft later this month.
The Ducks said Cronin fit the qualifications they sought in their next coach.
“While we did cast a wide net in searching for the next head coach, it became clear to me that Greg would be the ideal fit for the position,” general manager Pat Verbeek said in a news release. “Being a young team, I felt we needed a teacher of the finer points of the game, and someone who has worked extensively over time with talented young players, helping them develop into successful NHL players. Greg has done all that and more, and we are excited to name him head coach of the Anaheim Ducks.”
Eakins, 56, was named Ducks coach in 2019 after four seasons coaching their AHL affiliate in San Diego. He had an overall record of 100-147-44 in Anaheim.
–Field Level Media