ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Greg Cronin was fired Saturday as coach of the Anaheim Ducks after two seasons, general manager Pat Verbeek announced.
"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," Verbeek said in a statement about Cronin. "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."
Cronin is the first coach fired since the regular season ended Thursday, with more changes expected around the league. Chicago and Philadelphia have interim coaches.
The Ducks missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, finishing 35-37-10. Their 80 points were a 21-point improvement over last year, but it wasn't enough to save Cronin's job.
Cronin posted a 62-87-15 record in two seasons. He joined the Ducks after five seasons with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League. The Eagles are an affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche.
