Report: Wild hiring recently-fired NHL head coach to lead AHL affiliate

Cronin was relieved of his duties as Ducks head coach following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season after Anaheim went 35-37-10, missing the playoffs for a second straight year. The 62-year-old posted a 62-87-15 record in two seasons as the Ducks' head coach.

In taking over the Iowa Wild, Cronin returns to a level where he has experienced plenty of success. Before taking the Anaheim job, Cronin was the head coach of the AHL's Colorado Eagles from 2018-23. He would've led the Eagles to the playoffs in all five of his seasons if the 2020 playoffs hadn't been cancelled due to COVID. In Colorado, Cronin posted a 164-104-30 record in the regular season and went 4-4 in playoff series.

Cronin spent six seasons as the head coach of Northeastern University from 2005-2011. During the 2009 season, he guided the program to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 15 years, going 25-12-4 and being named Hockey East's Coach of the Year. He also has been an NHL assistant coach with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. Cronin played at Colby College in Massachusetts in the 1980s.

The Iowa Wild missed the Calder Cup playoffs last season after finishing sixth in the Central Division with a 27-37-8 record. They had an identical record in both seasons with Brett McLean as their head coach. McLean was recently hired by the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant coach.