The Ducks announced that Greg Cronin will not return as head coach next season in a Saturday morning news release.
The Ducks posted a franchise-worst 50 regulation losses in Cronin’s first season, but improved by 21 points in the standings this season, finishing just below a .500 points percentage. They failed to qualify for the postseason for a sixth consecutive season.
“I want to personally thank Greg for his tireless work and dedication to the team,” Ducks 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.”
Verbeek was set to speak with the media later in the day.
More to come on this story.