Ducks Part Ways with Thompson, Clune
After naming Joel Quenneville the 12th head coach in franchise history on Thursday, the Ducks are making additional changes to their coaching staff.
thehockeynews.comHere’s the latest on Anaheim Ducks coaching news.
Answer in brief
- Joel Quenneville was hired as the Ducks' head coach in June 2025 and served the 2025-26 season, with coaching staff changes following that hire. This marked the Ducks’ selection of a high-profile, experienced NHL coach to lead the team.
Key developments
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Hiring of Joel Quenneville
- The Ducks named Joel Quenneville as their head coach in June 2025, making him the 12th head coach in franchise history. This followed a period of interviews and wide coaching-market activity in Anaheim, as the team considered multiple candidates before settling on Quenneville.[1][2][3]
- Quenneville had not coached in the NHL since 2021 and was reinstated to seek employment in 2024 after the league’s reinstatement process; his appointment with Anaheim came after a comprehensive review of his candidacy.[3]
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Coaching staff changes
- After Quenneville’s appointment, the Ducks announced additional changes to their coaching staff, including parting ways with assistant coaches Brent Thompson and Rich Clune for the 2025-26 season, while Tim Army and Peter Budaj were retained in other roles.[4]
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Status updates and context
- Throughout the 2024-25 period, the Ducks conducted a broad search, interviewing several notable candidates and indicating that multiple conversations were ongoing; this underscored their intent to bring in a veteran leader to reshape the club. The team’s public communications emphasized ongoing interviews and a wide net in evaluating coaches.[2][1]
Context
- The Ducks fired their previous head coach, Greg Cronin, in April 2025, after two seasons, which set the stage for an expansive coaching search and eventual hiring of Quenneville. The goal was a rapid rebuild around a coach with championship pedigree and significant NHL experience.[6][10][3]
Illustration
- Timeline snapshot:
- Apr 2025: Greg Cronin is fired
- Apr–May 2025: Ducks conduct head-coach search, interview multiple candidates
- Jun 2025: Joel Quenneville hired as head coach
- 2025–26: Coaching staff adjustments announced
Would you like a concise timeline graphic or a side-by-side comparison of Quenneville’s coaching tenure with the Ducks versus other modern NHL coaches to see how his background aligns with the team’s stated goals? I can generate a chart or table if you’d like.