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Report: Anaheim Ducks Hiring Former Head Coach as Assistant

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Ken Culbertson | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 5:46 PM ET

Today we have some news out of Anaheim. Jay Woodcroft joins the Anaheim Ducks as an assistant coach under Joel Quenneville, with the official announcement expected July 1.

Jay Woodcroft Joins Anaheim Ducks Coaching Staff Under Joel Quenneville

The Anaheim Ducks are making another major move behind the bench. According to Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, he is reporting that Jay Woodcroft will join Anaheim’s coaching staff as an assistant under Joel Quenneville. While the hiring is not yet official, the Ducks are expected to announce the hiring on July 1, once Woodcroft’s contract with the Edmonton Oilers expires.

Sources say former #Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft will be joining Joel Quenneville's staff as an assistant with #NHLDucks.

Likely to be announced July 1 after Woodcroft's current deal in Edmonton expires.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 26, 2025

Jay Woodcroft Brings a Skill-Focus to the Ducks

This development marks a strong addition for Anaheim, as Woodcroft brings both recent playoff success and a modern, player-focused approach. In two-full seasons with the Oilers, he posted a 79-41-13 regular season record and helped guide Edmonton to the Western Conference Final in 2022. The Oilers let Woodcroft go early in the 2023–24 season after a sluggish start, despite high expectations.

Now, Woodcroft reportedly finds his next chapter in Anaheim. What’s more is that he is teaming up with a coaching legend in Quenneville, as the Ducks push forward in their rebuild. Interestingly, the Ducks interviewed Woodcroft as one of their head coaching candidates before selecting Quenneville. This seems to be a win-win for Anaheim.

Ducks interviewed Jay Woodcroft during the head coach search, so this would be an interesting turn. Bit of “best of both worlds” situation.

Power play coach?#FlyTogether https://t.co/iOS0BYQqhZ

— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) June 26, 2025

What It Means for the Ducks

The move underscores Anaheim’s commitment to high-level mentorship and development for its young core. With Joel Quenneville at the helm and Jay Woodcroft joining Anaheim’s bench, the Ducks gain a blend of championship pedigree and modern coaching philosophy. Woodcroft’s strengths in player communication, special teams, and offensive structure will be invaluable for developing talents like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Pavel Mintyukov.

If finalized, this hire rounds out one of the most compelling benches in the NHL. It also very likely accelerates Anaheim’s timeline back to playoff contention.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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