Speculation: The search for a new Head Coach - Rumors and Speculation

[HanSolo]

Hopefully the Samuelis have taken notice.

 

[AngelDuck]

Wow why would we do this. I really don’t get it

 

[Arthuros]

Not comforting.

 

[Terry Yake]

pass on sullivan

he's very much a veteran's coach and doesn't really trust young players. not the kind of coach this team needs, especially when most of our vets underperform

 

[FiveTacos]

This is basically what they're banking on is people like me: won't outright boycott the team and will still probably go to games, but are aware of what he's done and have to bury it deep in the recesses of my consciousness to try and simply enjoy the product*

*This could change though and although I would never root for another team, I could just end up following the league. Honestly, I'm a lot more on edge than I thought I was going to be when this idea was first pitched; it makes me mentally sick to think that after all the chirping I did about everyone involved that the public face of the whole ordeal might lead this hockey team.

It's a very cynical view if that's how they see it.

I just remember when Bowman went to the Oilers, even a few supporters were like "well he's put in the work, so if he's learned then he deserves another chance." Well he hasn't learned, obviously, it was all for show. AND the team is worse.

So ask yourself, for those of you who are into 2nd chances ... how will you feel if Q comes in, but turns out to be not changed at all when first opportunity presents itself? And on top of that, if he doesn't bring the success on ice you hope for (which is well within the realm of possibility)? Still gonna feel good about the hire?

It's entirely possible he'll be subpoenaed in the John Doe lawsuit as well. If he pulls a Bowman and tries to quash it, will that bother you at all?

If you just want a Cup winning coach with no baggage, there's guys out there. If you just want an old school guy who gets good results, there's guys out there.

Tommy Gorman, Dick Irvin, Scotty Bowman. That's the list of coaches who have replicated their Cup winning success with a 2nd team. The entire list. Does anyone really think Q is gonna join that group? And if not, if that's not the expectation, then why is he any more preferable than a veteran coach who has good results but no Cup?

Or if a Cup win means so damn much to you, then go get Bylsma.

 

[HanSolo]

Wow why would we do this. I really don’t get it

Because winning matters more than anything else. Which, paradoxically, is the exact mentality that led to the Aldridge situation unfolding the way it did.

 

[Big Fat Rebound]

Hate to bump Sicard, but this is kinda true. At best, the Samuelis are straight up negligent with dealing with the hockey ops side of things.

It's a very cynical view if that's how they see it.

I just remember when Bowman went to the Oilers, even a few supporters were like "well he's put in the work, so if he's learned then he deserves another chance." Well he hasn't learned, obviously, it was all for show. AND the team is worse.

So ask yourself, for those of you who are into 2nd chances ... how will you feel if Q comes in, but turns out to be not changed at all when first opportunity presents itself? And on top of that, if he doesn't bring the success on ice you hope for (which is well within the realm of possibility)? Still gonna feel good about the hire?

It's entirely possible he'll be subpoenaed in the John Doe lawsuit as well. If he pulls a Bowman and tries to quash it, will that bother you at all?

If you just want a Cup winning coach with no baggage, there's guys out there. If you just want an old school guy who gets good results, there's guys out there.

Tommy Gorman, Dick Irvin, Scotty Bowman. That's the list of coaches who have replicated their Cup winning success with a 2nd team. The entire list. Does anyone really think Q is gonna join that group? And if not, if that's not the expectation, then why is he any more preferable than a veteran coach who has good results but no Cup?

Or if a Cup win means so damn much to you, then go get Bylsma.

Aside from the obvious, this is the crux of the issue entirely and why I'm stunned this is even being considered. There's very little upside to this move in the first place, but the downside is tremendous to the point of losing a not so insignificant portion of the fanbase for good.

This is so easy: just hire someone else. Literally ANYONE else. Especially since you have probably the best situation of any team with a coaching opening in the sport.

 

[ShadowDuck]

Used AI to get a list of quotes from former players

### Player Quotes on Playing for Quenneville

- **Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)**:
- On Quenneville’s presence: “He’s got that aura about him, right? One of the best coaches ever. It’s kind of fun to see him back there, even though he’s on the other side now.” (Source: The Athletic, reflecting on facing Quenneville as an opponent after leaving Chicago).
- On development: “He gave me a lot of freedom to play my game, but also taught me how to play the right way defensively. That balance helped me become the player I am.” (Source: Chicago Tribune, 2018, discussing Quenneville’s influence on his Hart Trophy-winning career).

- **Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)**:
- On leadership: “Q’s got a way of getting everyone on the same page. He’s intense, but he knows when to lighten the mood. That’s why we won those Cups—he made us believe in the system.” (Source: NHL.com, 2015, post-Stanley Cup win, highlighting Quenneville’s ability to unite the team).
- On intensity: “You don’t want to be on the wrong side of that glare. But when he’s in your corner, you feel like you can do anything.” (Source: ESPN, 2013, describing Quenneville’s commanding demeanor).

- **Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks)**:
- On structure: “Q’s practices were short but intense. He didn’t waste time, and you knew exactly what he wanted defensively. It made us a tough team to play against.” (Source: Sportsnet, 2016, reflecting on Quenneville’s defensive systems that led to three Cups).
- On respect: “He’s a guy you just respect right away. You see his track record, and you know he’s been there. That’s what made us follow him.” (Source: Chicago Sun-Times, 2018, discussing Quenneville’s reputation).

- **Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)**:
- On growth: “Coach Q pushed me to be a leader. He trusted me in big moments, and that gave me confidence to take my game to another level.” (Source: Miami Herald, 2021, on Quenneville’s impact during the Panthers’ 2020–21 playoff run).
- On communication: “He’s tough, but he talks to you like a person. He’d pull you aside and explain what he needed, and you wanted to deliver for him.” (Source: The Athletic, 2020, discussing Quenneville’s one-on-one approach).

- **Chris Pronger (St. Louis Blues)**:
- On intensity: “Q was a no-nonsense guy. He’d rip into you if you weren’t ready, but it was because he wanted to win so bad. You couldn’t help but respect that fire.” (Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2010, reflecting on playing under Quenneville in the late 1990s).
- On preparation: “His practices were like games—fast, physical, detailed. You were ready for anything come playoff time.” (Source: NHL Network, 2015, discussing Quenneville’s Blues tenure).

- **Noel Acciari (Florida Panthers)**:
- On opportunity: “Coach Q put me in a spot to succeed. Playing with Trocheck and Huberdeau, I got two hat tricks in a row. He saw something in me and gave me that chance.” (Source: Sun Sentinel, 2019, on Quenneville’s line decisions that led to Acciari’s breakout games).
- On atmosphere: “He made it intense but kept it loose when it needed to be. You could feel his experience, and it pushed us to play harder.” (Source: Florida Hockey Now, 2020, describing Quenneville’s balance in the locker room).

- **Brent Sopel (Chicago Blackhawks)**:
- On coaching ability: “Q was a hell of a coach. His systems, his line changes—he knew how to win. That’s why we got that Cup in 2010.” (Source: TSN, 2021, acknowledging Quenneville’s skill despite the Beach scandal).

- **Ryan O’Reilly (St. Louis Blues)**:
- On early career: “Q was my first NHL coach. He was tough on me as a rookie, but it taught me what it takes to be a pro. I owe a lot of my work ethic to him.” (Source: Denver Post, 2019, reflecting on Quenneville’s time with the Colorado Avalanche).

- **Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers)**:
- Ekblad specifically described Quenneville’s tenure as “fun,” saying, “It’s been fun with Q. He’s got that presence, but he keeps things light in the room. It’s a good vibe, and we’re playing some of our best hockey.” (Source: Sun Sentinel, April 15, 2019, shortly after Quenneville was hired by the Panthers).

### Additional Context from Players
- **Locker Room Dynamics**: Players across teams noted Quenneville’s ability to balance intensity with levity. In Florida, players like Barkov and Ekblad appreciated his lighter touch compared to Chicago, where Kane and Toews described a more demanding environment suited to a Cup-contending roster.

 

[Gliff]

I kind of want to move on just to avoid the baggage. It doesn't matter what he does to make amends or how many victims give their blessing, some people are going to be outraged. And that's the best case scenario. More likely, PV would not be the most eloquent and it would leave everyone with more questions.


I don't think the organization needs that.

Buccigross seems to think Carle is out for the Ducks. Not much substance but he feels Utah is the darkhorse if Carle leaves college.

Where did you see this?

 

[Big Fat Rebound]

I kind of want to move on just to avoid the baggage. It doesn't matter what he does to make amends or how many victims give their blessing, some people are going to be outraged. And that's the best case scenario. More likely, PV would not be the most eloquent and it would leave everyone with more questions.


I don't think the organization needs that.


Where did you see this?

This may very well end up being similar to the Blue Jackets situation from two years ago: they hire him, they get dragged through the mud and piled on by opposing fans, Ducks' fans essentially riot, and then they have to pivot and fire him anyway. Might as well just cut out the middleman and stay away.

 

[Static]

Obviously there are real concerns with Q off the ice, but does anyone have insight on the type of coach he is on the ice?

I wasn’t really following hockey as closely back when he was coaching, so I’ve got no clue how he is as a coach.

He is/was an incredibly talented in-game tactician. He would be the most talented coach this franchise has ever had.

His teams have always been very defensively structured and the offense revolves around puck possession.

Hate to bump Sicard, but this is kinda true. At best, the Samuelis are straight up negligent with dealing with the hockey ops side of things.



Aside from the obvious, this is the crux of the issue entirely and why I'm stunned this is even being considered. There's very little upside to this move in the first place, but the downside is tremendous to the point of losing a not so insignificant portion of the fanbase for good.

This is so easy: just hire someone else. Literally ANYONE else. Especially since you have probably the best situation of any team with a coaching opening in the sport.

The problem I had with the bob stuff was that it seemed to have been happening for awhile and ownership just was not aware of it until someone spoke up. Once they knew, they handled it well by eliminating him right away.

They just aren't involved enough to actually be able to judge character. There's being hands-off and letting people do their jobs, and then there is just plain negligence; this has always felt less like their team and more like a weekend pet project. The nannies are raising the kids.

 

[JAHV]

It's a very cynical view if that's how they see it.

I just remember when Bowman went to the Oilers, even a few supporters were like "well he's put in the work, so if he's learned then he deserves another chance." Well he hasn't learned, obviously, it was all for show. AND the team is worse.

So ask yourself, for those of you who are into 2nd chances ... how will you feel if Q comes in, but turns out to be not changed at all when first opportunity presents itself? And on top of that, if he doesn't bring the success on ice you hope for (which is well within the realm of possibility)? Still gonna feel good about the hire?

It's entirely possible he'll be subpoenaed in the John Doe lawsuit as well. If he pulls a Bowman and tries to quash it, will that bother you at all?

If you just want a Cup winning coach with no baggage, there's guys out there. If you just want an old school guy who gets good results, there's guys out there.

Tommy Gorman, Dick Irvin, Scotty Bowman. That's the list of coaches who have replicated their Cup winning success with a 2nd team. The entire list. Does anyone really think Q is gonna join that group? And if not, if that's not the expectation, then why is he any more preferable than a veteran coach who has good results but no Cup?

Or if a Cup win means so damn much to you, then go get Bylsma.

I don't think Quenneville would be brought in to win a Cup. This is my own speculation and anyone can feel free to disagree and I can't really support this with anything but my own connection of different dots.

I think Verbeek loves McIlvane. Verbeek sold the hell out of that guy when he got hired - a somewhat under-the-radar guy from Europe. I assume nothing has happened in San Diego to change that, even though the Gulls haven't been super successful. We know McIlvane is staying around at this point. McIlvane is a younger guy but still needs a decent amount of seasoning here before he's ready for the NHL. I would guess that Verbeek wants him to be a bit more successful at the AHL level (which would require better players, but I digress) before being brought up to be the Ducks coach.

Short version: I think McIlvane is the de facto coach-in-waiting.

I think Verbeek was hoping Cronin would instill work ethic and toughness and defense and all that stuff in the meantime. Maybe he'd last three years and McIlvane would be ready by then. Or maybe Cronin would get extended for a couple years. In reality, Cronin sucked and got fired, but Verbeek still needs someone to bridge the gap until McIlvane is ready. And, scandal aside, Quenneville is the perfect candidate.

Quenneville's older, so he's not looking for something long-term. He's already won a Cup so he's not necessarily looking to chase one (as Boudreau or Bowness might). He's got cachet and coaching chops and should be respected within the room, even if he's lost his fastball as a tactician. He should be able to get the Ducks to take a step or two, and those steps should be enough to get them into the playoffs with the talent they have on the roster. So even if Q can't get them far in the postseason, he's set the table nicely for McIlvane to take over in three years and go full Jon Cooper.

I still very much do not want the Ducks to hire Quenneville. I communicated on the Ducks official website as much so the organization hears my objection. But if you're putting aside the scandal as a disqualifying factor, Quenneville makes a whole lot of sense.

 

[eaterfan]

Does anyone know how to get in touch with the Ducks through their website about this? There are a ton of sections and I didn't find a contact us spot on the most obvious choices.

 

[Unholy]

Does anyone know how to get in touch with the Ducks through their website about this? There are a ton of sections and I didn't find a contact us spot on the most obvious choices.

Think it’s being done here

Official Anaheim Ducks Website | Anaheim Ducks

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.nhl.com

 

[Gliff]

Hate to bump Sicard, but this is kinda true. At best, the Samuelis are straight up negligent with dealing with the hockey ops side of things.



Aside from the obvious, this is the crux of the issue entirely and why I'm stunned this is even being considered. There's very little upside to this move in the first place, but the downside is tremendous to the point of losing a not so insignificant portion of the fanbase for good.

This is so easy: just hire someone else. Literally ANYONE else. Especially since you have probably the best situation of any team with a coaching opening in the sport.

I'm sorry this is kind of BS.

They handled that situation perfectly. The problem is that it had been happening for a while unreported. The Samueli's were not ignoring it, and blaming them for it going unreported seems a little crazy.

 

[JAHV]

Just to follow up on my previous message, here are some of the problems with the other coaching candidates compared to Q if my McIlvane theory is right:

Boudreau/Bowness/Vigneault: old guys without a Cup, probably don't want to get involved at a bad team if they're ever going to coach again
Laviolette/Sullivan: Older, won a Cup, but still young enough that they might be looking for something longer term
Tortorella: Would immediately inspire a revolt by the players.
Carle: Wants stability and a guarantee of five years at the helm, not ideal for a coach-in-waiting scenario
Any other first time head coach: They're a first time head coach from outside the organization. I don't think Verbeek is looking to for that level of risk again.

Woodcroft fits into a rather large category of some other guys - NHL assistants or AHL coaches who head coached for a while in the NHL (John Stevens, Kevin Dineen, Pascal Vincent) - who seem like decent fits, but I imagine none of those guys want a job where they're looking over their shoulder. I think Woodcroft in particular makes sense for the Ducks, and maybe they'll go that way. I don't know that McIlvane is such a coaching genius that we need to keep the seat warm for him as far as I can tell. But if Verbeek made promises to McIlvane about having an opportunity with the Ducks if he met certain expectations, a guy like Woodcroft would be tough to fire if he came in, had success, but overstayed his welcome because McIlvane was ready.

 

[FiveTacos]

Short version: I think McIlvane is the de facto coach-in-waiting.

I think Verbeek was hoping Cronin would instill work ethic and toughness and defense and all that stuff in the meantime. Maybe he'd last three years and McIlvane would be ready by then. Or maybe Cronin would get extended for a couple years. In reality, Cronin sucked and got fired, but Verbeek still needs someone to bridge the gap until McIlvane is ready. And, scandal aside, Quenneville is the perfect candidate.

If a bridge coach is all that's needed/wanted, then there's a LOT of pretty good options out there, who have solid track records.

 

[HanSolo]

Think it’s being done here

Official Anaheim Ducks Website | Anaheim Ducks

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.nhl.com

I've heard this goes to the ticketing office but beyond that there's no way to contact the team directly short of pestering the Twitter and IG admins or inundating the team store with calls. If enough people write to the team with that form, it will get through to those with the authority to make these decisions.

I'd say people can write to Lee, Present, Cavanagh, Stephens etc. but it seems like they've noticed and if Elliote Friedman noticed I'm sure the team is aware.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

This may very well end up being similar to the Blue Jackets situation from two years ago: they hire him, they get dragged through the mud and piled on by opposing fans, Ducks' fans essentially riot, and then they have to pivot and fire him anyway. Might as well just cut out the middleman and stay away.

That’s not really what happened with Babcock, though. The truth is that Q, should he coach again, is highly unlikely to be in a similar situation again for various reasons, chiefly that should something happen it should be dealt with swiftly from much higher levels.

 

[JAHV]

If a bridge coach is all that's needed/wanted, then there's a LOT of pretty good options out there, who have solid track records.

I agree with you, but I think most of those guys who fit that description might not want to be a bridge coach. And if McIlvane sees a guy like Woodcroft get hired on a three-year deal, he bolts because he sees his path to the NHL is in jeopardy. Again, just my speculation.

My opinion is that Verbeek should just hire a good coach that's not Quenneville.

 

[Unholy]

I've heard this goes to the ticketing office but beyond that there's no way to contact the team directly short of pestering the Twitter and IG admins or inundating the team store with calls. If enough people write to the team with that form, it will get through to those with the authority to make these decisions.

I'd say people can write to Lee, Present, Cavanagh, Stephens etc. but it seems like they've noticed and if Elliote Friedman noticed I'm sure the team is aware.

Yeah it’s just what I’ve seen going around on twitter. I’m sure its a combination of that and direct replies and messages going around that have been noticed

 

[HanSolo]

Yeah it’s just what I’ve seen going around on twitter. I’m sure its a combination of that and direct replies and messages going around that have been noticed

Not much more we can do short of STH deciding not to renew in droves.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Samuel's could have been suspicious of Murray but had no reason to do anything. I have a few chronic alcoholics in my family and one of the trademarks is their face being red. Murray's face was visibly red in same way as one of my uncles in many past draft days and interviews over the years. It got more noticeable in his last few years as GM.

 

[AngelDuck]

It’s funny to me that when we first heard about this potential hiring of Q, I was one of the ones here who was surprised by it but willing to keep an open mind initially. I wanted to give the team and even Quennville a chance prior to jumping to conclusions.

However, as I’ve chewed on it the last 2 days from a morality and hockey perspective I’m now in the emphatic “hell no under any circumstance” to this idea. I cannot imagine why we would want to do this when there are so many alternatives who are respectable candidates.

Will I stop watching the team if this happens, absolutely not, but I’ll be beyond irritated at the Samueli’s for a long time.

In fact, I’m getting pissed off that this is even being considered now. This is in a gray area that I have no interest in my favorite team going down

 

[Dostwall]

- **Ryan O’Reilly (St. Louis Blues)**:
- On early career: “Q was my first NHL coach. He was tough on me as a rookie, but it taught me what it takes to be a pro. I owe a lot of my work ethic to him.” (Source: Denver Post, 2019, reflecting on Quenneville’s time with the Colorado Avalanche).

I don’t think this is accurate?

O’Reilly’s first season was 09-10, when Joe Sacco was the coach.