So, Joel Quenneville is back in the NHL, and it’s definitely a big deal, though not without its share of controversy in the world of professional hockey. Back in 2021, Quenneville stepped down from the Florida Panthers because of his role in mishandling a harassment allegation from 2010 while he was with the Chicago Blackhawks. Fast forward to July 2024, he had a meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman and got reinstated by the NHL. So, in May 2025, the Anaheim Ducks decided to bring in Quenneville as their new head coach, taking over from Greg Cronin.
It turns out that Joel Quenneville’s possible return to the NHL got a bit more interesting. Apparently, he had been interacting with the Anaheim Ducks for months before he officially went for reinstatement. Asking how?
According to The Athletic, former coach Greg Cronin shared some insights, saying, “He [Joel Quenneville] was there watching, and I ended up talking to him for a long time. I asked him to watch our team and tell me what he thought from a different set of eyes. So we spoke at length. We traded some good coach speak, and he gave me some good advice about what he saw.”
While the Ducks were on their mid-January road trip to Florida, playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, Quenneville and Cronin had a long and important chat. Cronin mentioned that he seized the chance to ask Quenneville — a highly respected coach in NHL history — for his thoughts on how the Ducks were doing. The previous Ducks coach was open to Quenneville’s insights, and they shared their coaching philosophies and thoughts with each other.
Cronin mentioned that Quenneville gave some great advice, sharing his thoughts on the Ducks’ team dynamics and where they could improve. What started off as a simple, professional chat has taken on a whole new significance now that Anaheim is openly linked to Quenneville as a potential future hire. So, you won’t believe this! Quenneville is already making the necessary changes for the NHL franchise.
Joel Quenneville is looking forward to a good season with the Anaheim Ducks
Joel Quenneville has a disciplined style and plenty of championship experience, and it looks like he’s really set on making a difference in the Anaheim Ducks’ culture right from the start. He’s got a team coming in that really gets his vision. Since he’s been out of the league for a bit and given the reasons behind it, every decision he makes is really under the microscope. And this time, he’s thrown some shade at the coaching staffs.
Changing up the Ducks’ staff is a bold first step to help him find his footing in the NHL again. Anaheim is in the thick of a rebuild and trying to figure out who they are, and they’re really counting on Quenneville’s big changes to spark the transformation they need. He’s going to have a lot of work in the Ducks’ office. What’s the reason for that? Rebuilding a team like the Ducks is definitely going to be a challenge.
For the past seven seasons, the Ducks have found themselves on the sidelines when it comes to the playoffs, finishing their latest season with a record of 35-37-10. This is the longest playoff drought the franchise has faced, which suggests there are some bigger problems at play beyond just what’s going on during the games. So, with the leadership issue at hand, this coaching change might just bring in the discipline that the Ducks locker room really needed.
The post Ex-Florida Coach Joel Quenneville Met With Ducks 4 Months Before NHL Return appeared first on EssentiallySports.