Anaheim Ducks Hire Joel Quenneville As Head Coach After His 3-year Nhl Ban 

One of nan astir successful coaches successful NHL history is returning to nan bench, but not without immoderate controversy. The Anaheim Ducks hired three-time Stanley Cup victor Joel Quenneville connected Thursday, May 8, aft Quenneville served a three-year prohibition by nan league.

Why was Quenneville retired of nan NHL?

Quenneville was nan coach of nan Florida Panthers from 2019 to 2021 and resigned aft an NHL investigation recovered he grounded to decently reside intersexual maltreatment allegations from subordinate Kyle Beach successful 2010. At nan time, some were pinch nan Chicago Blackhawks.

At nan clip of nan ban, commissioner Gary Bettman called Quenneville’s actions, on pinch those of wide head Stan Bowman and executive Al MacIsaac, “unacceptable.” Bettman lifted Quenneville’s prohibition successful July 2024 aft gathering pinch him.

Thursday, nan coach said his apical privilege is to make nan Ducks statement a safe moving situation for players and staff. 

“Over astir 4 years, I person taken clip to reflect, to perceive to experts and advocates, and to amended myself connected nan realities of abuse, trauma and really to beryllium a amended leader,” Quenneville said. “I dream others tin study from my inaction.”  

Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek said nan squad conducted an extended reappraisal of nan maltreatment lawsuit complete nan past 2 weeks, which included speaking pinch Kyle Beach.

“Joel has paid a value and faced nan consequences, and aft observant deliberation pinch truthful many, we judge he has taken nan basal steps to return to nan crippled arsenic nan caput coach of nan Anaheim Ducks,” Verbeek said. “I cognize Joel is simply a man of character. We person a agelong history, and I cognize who Joel is arsenic a person.”

Who opposes nan move to prosecute Quenneville?

Though Quenneville said Thursday he became amended knowledgeable astir intersexual maltreatment signs complete nan past 4 years, others are not convinced. The rule patient Romanucci & Blandin, representing a 2nd subordinate allegedly assaulted by nan aforesaid Blackhawks unit member, released a connection to The Athletic.  

“We are profoundly troubled to perceive astir nan hiring of Coach Q by different NHL squad this week, contempt his complicity successful nan Blackhawks’ clubhouse regarding intersexual maltreatment of a subordinate and now progressive litigation astir intersexual maltreatment of different subordinate by a unit member,” nan connection reads. “The activity expected of a Head Coach and nan decency expected arsenic a quality being should person guided him to protect these players astatine each costs. We dream and expect his caller squad will clasp him and nan full guidance squad to nan highest standards of behaviour and not sacrifice subordinate well-being for winning.” 

What benignant of occurrence has Quenneville had?

Anaheim will beryllium Quenneville’s fifth extremity arsenic a caput coach. He led nan Blackhawks to triumph nan Stanley Cup successful 2010, 2013 and 2015. He is 2nd connected nan NHL’s all-time wins database pinch 969, trailing only Detroit fable Scotty Bowman.

On Thursday, he was asked astir nan chance to activity pinch Anaheim’s young stars for illustration Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier.

“You sewage a batch of young kids that person immoderate velocity and immoderate skill,” Quenneville said. “We’ve sewage immoderate ingredients that we consciousness tin make them amended arsenic well. These are competitory kids that we want to make judge we turn an personality earlier connected successful nan season, and fulfilling that connected a day-to-day ground is what we’re going to beryllium each about.” 

The Ducks fired their erstwhile coach, Greg Cronin, connected April 19, aft his 2nd play down nan bench. The alteration came contempt a 21-point betterment successful nan standings. Anaheim has not made nan playoffs successful 7 seasons.