In a rare interview, Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli discussed the need to provide GM Pat Verbeek with more financial flexibility, the decision to hire coach Joel Quenneville, and his desire to make the team a Stanley Cup contender moving forward, per Eric Stephens of The Athletic.
After seven consecutive seasons without making the playoffs (including a 35-37-10 record this year, Samueli said he wants a more competitive team moving forward. Samueli, 70, has owned the team for more than 20 years and oversaw the team’s 2007 Stanley Cup win. As Samueli put it, “That is the pressure we’re putting on both Pat and Joel. They know that the fans and the ownership expect to make the playoffs this (next) season. There’s a lot of pressure to put on a coach and a GM. But you got to do it.”
He added that the team has completed its rebuilding process and have reached the point where they’re looking to win. He said the team is now focused on becoming “perennial playoff contenders” and noted that they needed to add an experienced head coach to support with that goal. Enter Quenneville, who despite his baggage, comes with the second-most wins of any coach.
“And that was one of the main reasons for wanting to bring someone like a Joel Quenneville in, because we felt comfortable that he could take us from the end of a rebuild to the beginning of a playoff era.”
Samueli was also specifically asked about the optics of hiring someone with Quenneville’s history. He discussed the thorough investigation the team underwent and ultimately determined they were comfortable with Quenneville moving forward. As he said: “I fully respect people who have negative opinions or going to have negative comments. There’s a lot of people who are victims of abuse, and I have nothing but the most respect for them. We’ll listen and try to convince them that we really did go through a thorough process and that Joel really is a good person who happened to make a mistake. I feel comfortable that we can deal with the situation.”
Samueli acknowledged that success requires spending more, starting with the price tag of Quenneville’s salary. However, when asked if he would allow Verbeek to spend to the cap, Samueli said he has given his GM the flexibility to make the moves necessary to make the team a playoff contender. He added, “If it means signing big-name free agents, go for it. We told him going forward you will not be constrained by the budget.”
Easier said than done,they should’ve traded Gibson when his value was higher and they should trade Zegras to MTL.
Send Zegras to Chicago please, fresh start and 2 players who can score a Michigan goal with Bedard and Zegras
Goalie options in FA are scarce this coming season, Gibby should still get a good return because of that scarcity.
@NSco1996 – Imagine the Mother of all Longshots–one passes to the other, Michigan style, and they score on it, pulling a double-Michigan!
As a Kings fan. I think the league is better when both the Kings and Ducks are winning.
For many years when one team was good the other was not. We got our only playoff matchup in 14 and it was an epic series. I went to 4 games 3 in LA and one in Anaheim. Second best series in my life
I hope the Ducks finish this rebuild and we get another Kings/Ducks match up
But
For god sakes the NHL needs to go back to the 1-8 seeds in the playoffs. This division crap sucks. Two good teams have already been sent home to early
and San Jose too, San Jose might’ve been the best team of the decade to not win a cup between 2010-2020
NSco. You are absolutely right about all the words you said.
Sorry Paul but you need help with an editor.
This is all old news as it was all available on the Ducks web site a few days ago. Bottom line is the Ducks owner has approved spending upgrades to help management get the team to the playoffs.