Greg Cronin (born June 2, 1963) is an American professional ice hockey coach who is the head coach for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Greg Cronin
Born (1963-06-02) June 2, 1963 (age 61)
Arlington, Massachusetts, U.S.
Current NHL coach Anaheim Ducks
Coaching career 1987–present
Coaching career
Biographical details
Alma materColby College
Playing career
1982–1986Colby
Position(s)Right wing
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1987–1988Colby (Assistant)
1988–1990Maine (Assistant)
1990–1993Colorado College (Assistant)
1993–1995Maine (Assistant)
1995–1996Maine
1997–1998US NTDP U-18 (Assistant)
1998–2003New York Islanders (Assistant)
2003–2005Bridgeport Sound Tigers
2005–2011Northeastern
2011–2014Toronto Maple Leafs (Assistant)
2014–2018New York Islanders (Assistant)
2018–2023Colorado Eagles
2023–presentAnaheim Ducks
Head coaching record
Overall108–117–31 (.482) (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
2009 Bob Kullen Coach of the Year Award

Coaching career

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Cronin began his career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Colby College in 1987–88 and then became a graduate assistant at the University of Maine from 1988 to 1990, then as an assistant for Colorado College from 1990 to 1993. He returned to Maine to be an assistant coach from 1993 to 1995 and was named interim head coach following a scandal that banished head coach Shawn Walsh from the bench for one year in 1995–96, leading the Black Bears to the Hockey East championship game in 1996 where they lost to Providence College, 3–2. After four years with Maine, he spent one year as the head coach of the USNTDP Juniors of USA Hockey before joining the New York Islanders in 1998. Cronin served as an assistant coach with the Islanders for 5 seasons before being named their Director of Player Development and head coach of their minor league affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, in 2003. He coached the Sound Tigers for 2 seasons with great success, going 78–61–16–5.

In 2005, Cronin replaced Bruce Crowder as head coach of the Northeastern Huskies of the NCAA. Cronin inherited a team that graduated almost all of their key players from a 15–18–5 team and had little hope of competing in the short term. The team went 3–24–7 in 2005–06 before posting a 13–18–5 record the following year behind the development of many of Cronin's recruits. The team further improved to 16–18–3 in 2007–08, winning their first playoff game in years in the 2–1 series loss to the University of Vermont. The Huskies opened the 2008–09 season expected to contend for home-ice advantage in Hockey East (4th place or better) for the first time since 1997–98. The Huskies went 23–9–4 in the regular season, leading the conference until the final day when they lost at Boston College 4–1, falling to second place in Hockey East in the process. Season highlights included Northeastern's first sweep of Maine in 25 years, a win over Boston College in the Beanpot for the first time since 1994, and winning 2 of 3 games against both of the previous season's Hockey East Finalists, Vermont, and Boston College. The Huskies opened the postseason by defeating the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Hockey East Quarterfinals at Matthews Arena, 2 games to 1, with the 3rd game being won in overtime on a goal by freshman Alex Tuckerman. On February 18, 2011, Cronin was suspended for six games due to possible recruitment violations but was reinstated before Northeastern's quarterfinal playoff series with Boston University. Northeastern would win that series, capturing two of three games at Agganis Arena and make it to the Hockey East semifinals for the second time in three years, where they fell to Boston College.

After six seasons as head coach of the Huskies, Cronin returned to USA hockey before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach in 2011. He remained with the Maple Leafs until rejoining the New York Islanders in 2014.[1] After three years as an assistant coach and one year as an associate coach, Cronin left the Islanders to become head coach of the Colorado Eagles in 2018.

On June 5, 2023, the Anaheim Ducks hired Cronin as head coach.[2]

Personal life

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Cronin lives in Boston, and he has many family connections at Northeastern. His father, Don, and his uncle, Jerry, both played hockey for the Huskies in the 1950s and 1960s, and his cousin Kerry played for the women's teams from 1983–86, winning three Beanpots. Greg Cronin spent three years playing hockey for Colby College with his older brother Donny Cronin Jr.

Head coaching record

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College

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Maine Black Bears (Hockey East) (1995–1996)
1995–96 Maine 12–6–1† 8–4–1† 3rd Hockey East runner-up
1996–97 Maine 9–7–1† 2–5–1†
Maine: 21–13–2 10–9–2
Northeastern Huskies (Hockey East) (2005–2011)
2005–06 Northeastern 3–24–7 3–17–7 9th
2006–07 Northeastern 13–18–5 9–13–5 7th Hockey East Quarterfinals
2007–08 Northeastern 16-18-3 12-13-2 6th Hockey East Quarterfinals
2008–09 Northeastern 25–12–4 18–6–3 2nd NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals
2009–10 Northeastern 16–16–2 11–14–2 9th
2010–11 Northeastern 14–16–8 10–10–7 6th Hockey East Semifinals
Northeastern: 87–104–29 63–73–26
Total: 108–117–31

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

† Cronin served as the head coach for Maine during the year-long suspension of Shawn Walsh starting on December 23, 1995 [3][4]

Team Year Regular season Postseason
G W L OTL Pts Finish W L Win % Result
Anaheim Ducks 2023–24 82 27 50 5 59 7th in Pacific Missed playoffs
Total 82 27 50 5      

References

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  1. ^ "Greg Cronin - Associate Coach". NHL.com. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "Ducks Name Greg Cronin Head Coach". NHL.com. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "Maine men's ice hockey 2012-13 Media Guide". Maine Black Bears. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  4. ^ "Northeastern men's ice hockey 2015-16 Media Guide" (PDF). Northeastern Huskies. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
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Preceded by Bob Kullen Coach of the Year Award
2008–09
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Anaheim Ducks
2023–present
Incumbent