ANAHEIM, Calif. – Nearly everything that needed to be said or that could possibly have been said was said at Joel Quenneville’s introductory press conference as the Anaheim Ducks’ new head coach on Thursday.
Whether it was about the process by Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek to vet Quenneville, or the Ducks’ due diligence of cross referencing every name and organization Quenneville said he worked with over that.
Whether it was about how both Quenneville and the Ducks aim to be better in those areas, or simply how the Ducks will be a better team on the ice this fall.
Quenneville was given his second chance by Anaheim, and just about everything that needed to be asked about that was asked and summarily given an answer by Quenneville, Verbeek and Ducks owner Henry Samueli.
Now, it is on all parties involved to back up their words with actions and earn the trust of their constituents, a fact that Quenneville acknowledged himself.
“I fully understand and accept those who question my return to the league I know words aren’t enough,” Quenneville said, reading from a prepared statement. “I will demonstrate (through) my actions that I am a man of character. We will be a team this community can be proud of, both on and off the ice. This is my promise.”
Joel Quenneville: “What happened to Kyle Beach was horrific and inexcusable. I take full responsibility for not asking more questions and following up.”
Said he spoke with Beach this morning. Pledges better actions over words going forward. “This is my promise.”#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/h3TyW1EzfM
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) May 8, 2025
Even when not reading from his notes at the press conference dais, Quenneville reiterated this commitment to action with the media in a side availability session.
“I know that the work I’ve done, and what I’ve done through this process can only show by being out in the community,” Quenneville said, “demonstrating that I learned from the mistakes I had, and applying them, going forward. Our community service team here, we’re excited about being out there involved on and off the ice, particularly in the area right here. That’s the part that we’re going to do everything we can there.”
Step one was being as transparent as possible at Thursday’s press availability. Without opening all the doors, words would ring hollow or unenforceable.
No one dodged meaningful questions. Everything that could be laid on the table was laid on the table.
“We tackled the issue head on. It’s not like we’re trying to hide behind it.,” Samueli said. “We came head on into the issue. We’re an open book. We told everybody what we did, how we did it. Conversations we had will remain private to respect people’s privacy, but as transparent as we can be, we’re telling everybody what we did, and hopefully they’ll understand.”
Step two was laying the path forward.
For all the talk of changed character or learned lessons, there had to be a plan of action to demonstrate those changes and lessons.
As a coach, Quenneville said he’ll have an open-door policy with his players, and Samueli said that it’s been made a top priority for Verbeek and Quenneville that the Ducks will be “the safest team in the league when it comes to those types of issues.”
“In my mind, he will be a model coach for dealing with situations like this,” Samueli said. “I think he will be a mentor to other coaches in the league who can come to him and talk to him. How do you handle situations like that? What do you do? And they’ll trust him because he is old school, and he’s changed.”
In the community, Verbeek said there were plans in the works for himself and Quenneville to reach out to local advocacy groups for survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse. Samueli confirmed this and said there are connections with his family and foundation to make this happen.
“Susan (Henry’s wife and Ducks co-owner) in fact, the foundation does work with sexual human trafficking and so many organizations that we’re working with in the abuse area,” Samueli said. “The connections are already made. It would be very easy for us to introduce Joel to those folks. He can get more involved in the philanthropic side with our foundation. It will happen. I’m very confident Joel will be a star when it comes to working with those organizations.”
Step three is the follow through, which can only come with time.
Through Verbeek’s tenure, he has preached a culture of accountability, and that same standard will be held here as well. There will need to be public displays of the work being put into action. There will need to be regular check-ins on things behind the scenes.
Verbeek, Quenneville, Samueli and the Ducks don’t simply get the gold star for saying all the right things on Thursday. The actions must follow.
Finally, simultaneously the least and most important aspect of this coaching hire: the words and actions regarding the on-ice product.
After the firing of Greg Cronin, Verbeek made his clearest declaration that the Ducks expect to make the playoffs next season, a declaration echoed by Samueli and paired with the owner’s commitment to loosening up the purse strings and opening the budget for Verbeek.
“Oh, 100%,” Samueli said. “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 season. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a coach and GM, but you’ve got to do it.”
Management has said it expects playoffs. Ownership stated that the rebuild is over and its time to take the next steps. The two parties have come together to hire a coach with the goal of leading them back to the postseason and beyond.
Plenty of words, but will this too be followed up with action? Only time will tell.
“I think that it’s a very realistic goal and achievement,” Quenneville said. “I think expectations are healthy within our team and if they’re talking like that, I know you got to back those kinds of things up. We don’t want to just have idle speaking here. I’m excited.”