ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 7: Head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, Greg Cronin, on the bench prior to the start of the game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 7, 2025 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Anaheim Ducks announced the firing of coach Greg Cronin on Saturday, three days after Cronin completed his second season with a 35-37-10 record, 16 points out of a playoff berth.
No replacement has been named.
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WATCH HERE"I want to personally thank Greg for his tireless work and dedication to the team," general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. "He is responsible in many ways for the improvement we've seen from our young core.
"However, after several weeks of careful evaluation, I concluded we needed a change in direction and a new voice. This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, but I felt it was necessary to continue our progress toward becoming a Stanley Cup contender that I know we can be."
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SIGN UP The Ducks were 12th in the NHL's 16-team Western Conference and 16 points behind the conference's final playoff qualifier, the St. Louis Blues.
The Ducks were 27-50-5 in the 2023-24 season, 14th in the conference and 39 behind the conference's final playoff qualifier, the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Ducks last qualified for the playoffs in the 2017-18 season, also the last time they had a winning record. Cronin, 61, is the third Ducks coach to be fired since they last made the playoffs.
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A website, firecronin.com, and an account on the social media platform X, @FireGregCronin, were established in November, calling for owners Henry and Susan Samueli to fire Cronin. The website featured comments critical of Cronin from former Ducks and a letter fans could send to the Samuelis and Verbeek demanding his firing.
"I am deeply concerned about the growing reports, including some from highly respected former Ducks players, indicating that Greg Cronin's self-described 'intense' style has crossed the line and has been highly detrimental to the development of many young players the Ducks depend on for future success," the letter read.
"The Anaheim Ducks are a first-class organization that treats its people well. It sends a terrible message when these values are not upheld by the team's head coach. One can be an outstanding coach and a tough coach without making players in the locker room miserable."
The Ducks' job was Cronin's first as an NHL head coach after 36 years of coaching and player development experience. Verbeek called Cronin "the ideal fit for the position" when his hiring was announced on June 5, 2023.
Before being hired by the Ducks, Cronin spent the previous five seasons as coach of the Colorado Eagles, guiding the Colorado Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate to a 164-104-30 record and four berths in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Cronin was an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2011-14, then was a member of the New York Islanders' coaching staff from 2014-18, the first three seasons as an assistant coach and as the associate coach for the 2017-18 season.
Cronin began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Colby College, in 1987, then was a graduate assistant coach at the University of Maine from 1988-90 while studying for a master's degree in business.
He was an assistant coach with Colorado College from 1990-93, then returned to Maine in 1993 as an assistant coach and was the Black Bears' interim coach from December 1995 through December 1996.
Cronin was a co-founder of USA Hockey's National Development Program, serving as its director of player development for the 1996-97 season and coach in 1997-98.
He was an assistant coach with the Islanders from 1998-2003 and coached their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, from 2003-05.
Cronin coached Northeastern University to an 87-104-29 record from 2005-11, including an appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2009, the Huskies' first since 1994.
The Arlington, Massachusetts native was an assistant coach with the U.S. national team in the 1997, 2011 and 2012 World Championships and 1997 and 1998 World Junior Championships.
