Joel Quenneville reportedly interested in coaching the Maple Leafs
While he would need to be reinstated by the commissioner, Joel Quenneville is reportedly interested in coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs should the opportunity arise.
With the organization looking for a new head coach for the first time since the 2019-20 season, there are several intriguing options available on the open market including Craig Berube. While every team with an open coaching vacancy will be coveting Berube, another name to possibly keep an eye on is Quenneville.
The once highly sought after head coach has been out of the league for the past 3 seasons after Kyle Beach's story came to light. Bringing him back into the fray would not only cause an outrage from certain factions, but it would need the green light from Gary Bettman and Bill Daly.
Controversy aside, Joel Quenneville is as decorated as they come.
Quenneville has coached in parts of 25 seasons for the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers. He sits 2nd all-time in NHL history for most wins by a head coach with 969, trailing only Scotty Bowman and his ridiculous 1,244 wins. He qualified for the post-season 20 times, advanced past the first round 11 times, reached the Conference Finals on 6 occasions, and won the Stanley Cup 3 times. He also won a Cup as an assistant coach in Colorado.
While coaching for the Panthers and leading them to a 7-0-0 start to the season in 2021-22, Quenneville was summoned to Bettman's office once the Beach story came to light to discuss his role in the situation. Shortly afterwards he announced his resignation and the commissioner said that they had reached a mutual agreement that it would not be appropriate for him to stick around any further.
If Quenneville was to be re-instated by the league, accepting a coaching job in Toronto would be a homecoming for Coach Q
If he were given the green light from the NHL to make his return, it would be a homecoming of sorts for the 65-year-old who not only hails from Windsor, Ontario, but was also drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 1978 NHL Entry Draft. His coaching pedigree is well known, he's been successful everywhere he's coached, and he has just one losing season under his belt - 2017-18 when the Blackhawks went 33-39-10.
The interest seems to be mutual but at this point it all comes down to whether or not the NHL would reinstate him. He would certainly be an upgrade over Sheldon Keefe and plenty of the other candidates on the open market.
| POLL | ||
MAI 11 | 988 ANSWERS Joel Quenneville reportedly interested in coaching the Maple Leafs Would you have Joel Quenneville reinstated and hired by the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes, he's a proven winner | 534 | 54 % |
| No, his time is up | 251 | 25.4 % |
| It would be a PR nightmare.. | 203 | 20.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
