Anaheim Ducks fire coach Greg Cronin despite 21-point improvement in NHL standings
The Anaheim Ducks fired coach Greg Cronin on Saturday despite a 21-point improvement in the standings.
Cronin, 61, just finished his second season with the team. He was hired in 2023 for his first NHL head coaching job after decades coaching in college hockey and the American Hockey League or as an assistant coach in the NHL.
The team improved by only one point in 2023-24 to 59 points but jumped to 80 points this season. Though the Ducks cut back significantly in goals allowed, they finished last in the league on the power play and in the bottom five in goals, penalty killing and 5-on-5 play.
“I want to personally thank Greg for his tireless work and dedication to the team,” general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “He is responsible in many ways for the improvement we’ve seen from our young core. However, after several weeks of careful evaluation, I concluded we needed a change in direction and a new voice.
"This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, but I felt it was necessary to continue our progress toward becoming a Stanley Cup contender that I know we can be.”
Despite the improvement in the standings, the Ducks finished 16 points out of the playoffs.
Verbeek said in a news conference that Cronin was "completely shocked" when told of the decision. He said his reasons for the coaching change went beyond poor special teams.
"I shared those reasons with Greg and they were private conversations, and I really want them to remain private as to why," he said.
Verbeek said the "net's going to be cast wide" in his search and he wouldn't rule out bringing in another rookie NHL head coach. He also plans to be "very active and aggressive" in free agency.
"I think I see this team at a point to where my expectation of this team is to make the playoffs next season," he said. "I expect our group to take a step and so I'm going to be active, aggressive in making our team better."
Cronin was the first NHL coach fired since the regular season ended. The New York Rangers announced Peter Laviolette's firing soon after.
There were five coaching changes during the regular season: Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers.