ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Quenneville is returning to the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks for his first head coaching job since the second-winningest coach in league history resigned and was banned for his handling of a sexual assault scandal.
The 66-year-old Quenneville was hired by Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek on Thursday for his first coaching job since his resignation from the Florida Panthers 3 1/2 years ago in the wake of his handling of the sexual assault scandal during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Verbeek called the move “a major step forward in our process of being a perennial playoff contender” and said the team had done its due diligence.
“Over the last two weeks, we conducted interviews with many outstanding coaching candidates, while simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of what took place while Joel was head coach of the Blackhawks in 2010,” he said. “Our findings are consistent with Joel’s account that he was not fully aware of the severity of what transpired in 2010. It is clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with more questions at the time, has demonstrated meaningful personal growth and accountability and has earned the opportunity to return to coaching.”
Quenneville and Blackhawks executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac were banned from the NHL for nearly three years after an independent investigation concluded that the team mishandled allegations raised by former player Kyle Beach against video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2010. The trio was reinstated last July, and Bowman became the Edmonton Oilers’ general manager three weeks later.
Quenneville said he was “truly grateful” to be back in the league.
“In nearly four years away from the game, I have learned from my prior mistakes and realized it will be actions over words that demonstrate my commitment to being a better leader,” he said.
Before his departure, Quenneville spent parts of 25 NHL seasons behind the benches of St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago and Florida, establishing himself as his era’s most consistent winning coach.
He led the Blackhawks to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015. His 969 career victories are the second-most in NHL history, trailing only Scotty Bowman’s 1,244.
Quenneville’s reputation and career were badly damaged by his role in the Blackhawks’ handling of the accusations against Aldrich. After four seasons out of the sport, the 13-year NHL defenseman is getting another chance behind the bench — this time with a franchise in the middle of a lengthy rebuilding process.
Quenneville takes over a team that has missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, the third-longest active absence in the NHL. Anaheim finished sixth in the Pacific Division this season at 35-37-10 after being in the bottom two for the previous four consecutive years.
He replaces Greg Cronin, who was surprisingly fired by Verbeek at the conclusion of his second season in charge. Cronin led the Ducks to a 21-point improvement in his second season, but Verbeek changed course for reasons he declined to reveal when he announced the firing.
While announcing the change, Verbeek said he expects the Ducks to make the playoffs next season. That’s a pronouncement that the first-time GM had never made during his 3 1/2 years in charge of owner Henry Samueli’s franchise.
And Quenneville has plenty of experience in getting teams to the postseason. His teams have made 20 Stanley Cup playoff appearances, reaching the postseason in all but two of the 22 seasons he finished.
Quenneville inherits a team with an ample stock of young talent. The roster includes No. 2 overall pick Leo Carlsson, No. 3 overall picks Mason McTavish and Beckett Sennecke, promising forward Cutter Gauthier, rising defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov, and several veteran forwards, including two-time All-Star Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.