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The Anaheim ducks announced manager Greg Cronin’s firing on Saturday, with Cronin completing his second season with a 35-37-10 record and 16 points from the playoff berth.
There is no replacement.
“I would like to personally thank Greg for his tireless work and dedication to his team,” general manager Pat Barbiek said in a statement. “He is responsible for the improvements we see from our younger core in many ways.
“However, after weeks of careful evaluation, we concluded that we needed a change of direction and a new voice. This was a very difficult decision for me to make, but I felt that I needed to continue making progress to become a Stanley Cup candidate who I know I can.”
The ducks were 12th in the NHL’s 16-team Western Conference, 16 points behind the conference’s final playoff qualifier, the St. Louis Blues.
The Ducks were 27-50-5 in the 2023-24 season, finishing 14th in the conference, 39 after the Vegas Golden Knights, the final playoff qualifier for the conference.
The Ducks last played in the 2017-18 playoffs, but last had a record of victory. Cronin, 61, is the third duck coach to be fired as he made the playoffs last.
The website, Firecronin.com, and account X, @firegregcronin, on social media platform X, was established in November, and owners Henry and Susan Samueli called for Cronin to be fired. The website featured comments critical of former duck Cronin, a letter that fans could send to Samuelis, and verbeek demanding his firing.
“I am deeply concerned about growing reports, including some reports from a highly respected former duck player. Greg Cronin’s self-explained “strength” style shows that it crosses the line and is extremely detrimental to the development of many young players who rely on future success,” the letter read.
“The Anaheim ducks are a top-notch organization that deals with people a lot. They send a terrible message when these values are not supported by the team’s head coaches. They can become outstanding coaches and tough coaches without making the players in the locker room miserable.”
The Dachshunds job was Cronin’s first NHL head coach after 36 years of coaching and player development experience. When his employment was announced on June 5, 2023, Vebik called Cronin “a good fit for the ideal position for his position.”
Before being hired by the Duck, Cronin spent the last five seasons as a coach for the Colorado Eagles, leading Colorado Avalanche American Hockey League affiliate to four berths with a 164-104-30 record and a Calder Cup playoff.
Cronin was an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011-14, and was then a member of the New York Islanders coaching staff from 2014-18. This was his first three seasons as an assistant coach in the 2017-18 season as an associate coach.
Cronin began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Colby College, in 1987, and later served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Maine from 1988 to 90, earning a Masters in Business.
He was an assistant coach at Colorado College from 1990 to 1993, and returned to Maine as an assistant coach in 1993, and was an interim Black Bears coach from December 1995 to December 1996.
Cronin was a co-founder of USA Hockey’s National Development Program, and was the director of player development for the 1996-97 season and coached 1997-98.
He was an assistant islander coach from 1998 to 2003 and coached AHL affiliate The Bridgeport Sound Tigers from 2003-05.
Cronin coached Northeastern University on the 87-104-29 record from 2005-11. This featured in the Husky’s first NCAA tournament since 1994.
The assistant coach from Arlington, Massachusetts was an assistant coach for the US national teams at the 1997, 2011, 2012 World Championships and the 1997 and 1998 World Junior Championships.
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