Just two days after the regular season ended, the NHL coaching carousel has started to spin. On Saturday, the Ducks announced that they have fired Greg Cronin after two seasons.
The Ducks hired Cronin, former coach of the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, prior to the 2023-24 season. Cronin was tasked with bringing along Anaheim’s crop of young prospects, but he’s now out after back-to-back seasons with a below .500 record.
In his first campaign behind the Ducks bench, Cronin led the team to a 27-50-5 record, which was good for seventh in the Pacific Division. In 2024-25, Anaheim did show improvement in the win column, going 35-37-10, but the team still finished sixth in the division and 16 points out of a playoff spot.
In a statement, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said firing Cronin was a tough decision, but he felt the team “needed a change in direction and a new voice.” As Anaheim begins its search fro a new coach, the team will likely look for someone who can get the young core to take the leap into playoff contention.
As teams put a bow on the 2024-25 season, more coaching changes will be on the way, so stay tuned to CBS Sports to keep up with all the movement.
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Anaheim Ducks |
Greg Cronin |
TBD |
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