Ducks interviewed Joel Quenneville for head-coaching vacancy

Longtime NHL head coach Joel Quenneville was interviewed by the Ducks for their vacant head coach position, ESPN’s John Buccigross implied. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff confirmed the report, adding he’s being considered but isn’t necessarily a finalist yet.

Quenneville has not coached since resigning as the Panthers’ bench boss early in the 2021-22 season. He was subsequently suspended from working in the league “as a result of [his] inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks’ Player, Kyle Beach, had been assaulted by the Club’s video coach.” Quenneville, along with former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and VP of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, had their suspensions lifted by the league last July. Bowman quickly returned to work as GM of the Oilers, but MacIsaac and Quenneville have yet to work another job in the league or for one of its member clubs.

Only one coaching vacancy was open last summer by the time Quenneville was reinstated. That was the Blue Jackets, and they never approached him for an interview. Other teams had interest in his services earlier in the 2024 offseason, but were told by the league he was unavailable for hire.

Quenneville, who coached the Blackhawks to Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, 2015, and won as an assistant with the Avalanche in 1996, is the first name linked to Anaheim’s coaching vacancy. They fired Greg Cronin earlier this month with one season left on his contract. Cronin recently expressed interest in moving cross-country to fill the Bruins’ vacancy.