The Anaheim Ducks hired head coach Joel Quenneville on May 8 after parting ways with Greg Cronin after two seasons behind the bench.
With Cronin, assistant coaches Rich Clune and Brent Thompson were also relieved of their duties.
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“We’re nearing the end of our coaching searches for assistant coaches with Joel Quenneville, whether that’s going to be a forward coach/power play guy, and a penalty kill guy who will oversee the defense,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said on June 14 after acquiring Chris Kreider.
Nine teams will or have changed head coaches since the end of the 2024-25 season, and former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft was considered one of the top available candidates.
Eight positions have been filled, with the Dallas Stars reportedly close to closing theirs, leaving Woodcroft on the outside looking in for the second consecutive summer after he was relieved of his position with the Oilers just six games into the 2023-24 season.
On Thursday, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported via social media that indications suggested Woodcroft would join Quenneville behind the Ducks' bench as an assistant coach.
“Sources say former (Oilers) head coach Jay Woodcroft will be joining Joel Quenneville's staff as an assistant with (the Ducks),” Seravalli reported. “Likely to be announced July 1 after Woodcroft's current deal in Edmonton expires.”
Woodcroft has a 79-41-13 record as an NHL head coach in 133 games in two-plus seasons. He coached Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, for four seasons between 2018 and 2022, with a record of 105-71-21.
He led the Oilers to a conference final in 2022, months after replacing Dave Tippett as head coach, and a conference semi-final in 2023.
It is assumed that Woodcroft will be responsible for the forwards and power play in Anaheim. The Ducks had the league’s worst power play in 2024-25, producing at an 11.8% clip.
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