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Greg Cronin

Wild Hire Greg Cronin To AHL Head Coach Role

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Minnesota Wild have announced they’ve hired Greg Cronin to be the next head coach of the AHL’s Iowa Wild. Cronin will move to the role after spending the last two seasons as the coach of the Anaheim Ducks. The move was made official by Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks, who shared that the club is eager to add Cronin’s thorough hockey experience into their minor-league ranks.

Cronin is no stranger to minor-league roles. Prior to his time in Anaheim, all seven of Cronin’s years as a pro head coach came in the NHL – through a two-year stint with the Bridgeport Islanders from 2003 to 2005, and a five-year stint with the Colorado Eagles from 2018 to 2023. He intercut those tenures with prolonged roles as a college head coach or NHL assistant coach. In almost every year since 1995, Cronin has found coaching experience at one of those levels. His journey has taken him through time behind the bench at the University of Maine and Northeastern University, as well as with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs.

For all of his years at the helm, Cronin has yet to take a team to much postseason success. A second-round exit in the 2021 and 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs marked the furthest playoff runs of Cronin’s coaching career at either a collegiate or professional level. He has posted a cumulative record of 107-117-31 in the NCAA, 242-165-51 in the AHL, and 62-87-15 in the NHL.

Central Notes: Wild, Loponen, Marques

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Wild are closing in on hiring Greg Cronin as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate in Iowa, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link).  Cronin was the bench boss in Anaheim for the last two seasons before being let go after the season with Joel Quenneville taking over behind the bench for the Ducks.  Cronin has been a coach for more than 35 years and has lots of experience running the show in the minors.  Before joining Anaheim, Cronin used to coach Colorado’s affiliate, leading the Eagles to a 164-104-30 record over five years.  Iowa hasn’t won a playoff round since 2019 and has only made the playoffs once in that span so a proven developmental coach like Cronin would be a nice pickup for Minnesota to help try and turn things around on the farm.

More from the Central:

  • After spending a year in North America, Jets prospect Markus Loponen is heading back home. HPK in Finland announced that they’ve signed the center to a two-year contract.  The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick out of Karpat’s junior system, meaning the two-year signing rights rule for CHL prospects doesn’t apply; Winnipeg will have until June 1, 2028 to sign him.  Loponen played with WHL Victoria this season, collecting 19 goals and 25 assists in 65 games.
  • Predators prospect Miguel Marques is the latest player to make the move from the CHL to college hockey. Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News relays that the forward has made a verbal commitment to join the University of Maine next season.  The 19-year-old was a third-round pick by Nashville last year, going 87th overall after recording 74 points in 67 games with WHL Lethbridge.  Marques missed a good chunk of this season due to a broken arm and dislocated elbow but was quite productive upon his return, tallying 38 points in 29 regular season games plus 17 more in 16 playoff outings.

Greg Cronin Interested In Bruins Head Coaching Job

at CDT | by 8 Comments

Former Ducks head coach Greg Cronin would enthusiastically pick up the phone if considered for the Bruins’ head coaching opening, he told the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont.

“Hey, I’m a coach, right?” Cronin told Dupont. “All these openings, I’ll throw my hat in and see what comes back. I mean, heck, I’d be doing handsprings and jumping over rainbows if I got the Bruins’ job. I’m a Boston guy, and for a Boston guy, that’s hitting the lottery times 10!”

Cronin was one of the finalists for Boston’s vacancy in the 2022 offseason when he was the head coach of the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate. General manager Don Sweeney ended up passing him over for eventual 2023 Jack Adams winner Jim Montgomery, whom the Bruins ended up firing in November. Boston finished the 2024-25 campaign with interim head coach Joe Sacco, who is still a candidate to take over the full-time role, Sweeney said last week.

After not landing the Bruins’ job, Cronin only needed to wait one more year to land his first NHL coaching gig. The Ducks signed him to a three-year deal in the 2023 offseason to replace Dallas Eakins, but fired him earlier this month with one year left on his contract. Cronin had a 67-82-15 (.424) record behind the Anaheim bench, although the Ducks’ finish this season was their best since the 2018-19 campaign.

While Cronin may have an interest in the vacancy, it is unlikely that Boston’s interest will be mutual. When discussing their next coaching hire, Sweeney emphasized an improved offense as their top priority for the offseason. Nothing Cronin did in Anaheim suggests he’ll fit that mold. During Cronin’s tenure, the Ducks’ 2.56 goals per game ranked 31st out of 33 teams (the Coyotes and Utah were counted separately), while their 27.2 shots per game ranked 28th. Their 14.9% success rate on the power play ranked 32nd.

Outside of Sacco, it remains unclear who Boston plans to interview as a full-time hire.

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