Joel Quenneville is set to take over as the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, as sources informed Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Quenneville, who has a distinguished coaching career that includes three Stanley Cup championships, has been absent from the NHL since 2021 due to the fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks’ sexual assault scandal, where it was determined he had an “inadequate response” to the allegations.
The announcement follows a report by Darren Dreger of TSN, noting that Quenneville, 66, is second on the NHL’s all-time list for regular-season victories by a coach, with 969 wins. He was the head coach of the Florida Panthers from 2019 until resigning in 2021 after discussions with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman concerning his involvement in the Blackhawks situation, specifically regarding allegations made by former player Kyle Beach related to an incident with video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
In the wake of the scandal, Bettman mandated that Quenneville and other involved executives meet with him before returning to the league. Quenneville was reinstated last summer, but has remained without a coaching position until now.
The Ducks’ decision to hire Quenneville comes after they conducted an exhaustive review of the Beach case, with plans to disclose their findings surrounding the matter upon the official announcement of his hiring. Previously, the Ducks fired Greg Cronin after a disappointing performance this past season, despite showing a marked improvement in their overall standings.
Before his time with the Panthers, Quenneville had considerable success in the NHL, including a notable tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he secured three Stanley Cups. He also coached the St. Louis Blues, making the playoffs in seven of his eight seasons there, and had shorter stints with the Colorado Avalanche.
Quenneville’s return to coaching in Anaheim has the potential to transform the team’s fortunes, offering hope for a turnaround after missing the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. His extensive experience and proven track record may guide the Ducks back to a competitive standing in the league.