Joel Quenneville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joel Quenneville |
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Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks during a practice in December 2011
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| Born | September 15, 1958 Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Colorado Rockies New Jersey Devils Hartford Whalers Washington Capitals |
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| Current NHL coach | Anaheim Ducks | ||
| Coached for | St. Louis Blues Colorado Avalanche Chicago Blackhawks Florida Panthers |
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| NHL Draft | 21st overall, 1978 Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| Playing career | 1978–1992 | ||
| Coaching career | 1996–present | ||
Joel Norman Quenneville (born September 15, 1958) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is known as "Coach Q" and is currently the head coach for the Anaheim Ducks in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Coach Q is famous for being one of the most successful coaches in NHL history. He has the second-highest number of coaching wins, with 969 victories. His biggest achievements came when he coached the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008 to 2018. He led the Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup three times: in 2010, 2013, and 2015. The 2010 win was very special because it was the Blackhawks' first Stanley Cup since 1961, ending a long wait for the team.
Before joining the Ducks, Quenneville also coached the St. Louis Blues (1996–2004), the Colorado Avalanche (2005–2008), and the Florida Panthers (2019–2021).
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Playing Career
Joel Quenneville was a hockey player before he became a coach. He was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs as the 21st player overall in the 1978 NHL Draft. He played as a defenceman, which is a player who helps protect the team's goal.
During his playing career, he played for several NHL teams. These included the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Rockies (who later became the New Jersey Devils), the Hartford Whalers, and the Washington Capitals. He also played in minor leagues like the American Hockey League (AHL).
Coaching Career
First Time with Colorado Avalanche
Quenneville started his coaching journey as an assistant coach. He won his first Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche. This was a great start to his coaching career!
Coaching the St. Louis Blues
After his time as an assistant, Quenneville became the head coach of the St. Louis Blues in the middle of the 1996–97 season. He helped the Blues reach the playoffs for seven years in a row.
His best season with the Blues was in 1999–2000. That year, he led the team to a record 51 wins. They also won the Presidents' Trophy, which is given to the team with the best regular season record in the entire league. For his excellent coaching that season, he won the Jack Adams Award, which recognizes the best coach of the year.
However, the Blues lost in the first round of the playoffs that year. In 2004, the team started to struggle, and Quenneville was later fired from his coaching role with the Blues.
Second Time with Colorado Avalanche
In June 2004, Quenneville was hired again by the Colorado Avalanche as their head coach. However, the next NHL season was canceled due to a lockout.
In his first full season back with the Avalanche (2005–06), he led them to the playoffs. They even surprised many by beating the Dallas Stars in the first round. On March 25, 2007, Quenneville coached his 750th career game, showing how much experience he had. He left the Avalanche organization in May 2008.
Coaching the Chicago Blackhawks
In September 2008, Quenneville joined the Chicago Blackhawks as a scout. But soon after, on October 16, 2008, he was promoted to head coach.
On December 1, 2009, he reached his 500th win as a coach. In his first two seasons with the Blackhawks, he led them to the Western Conference finals in 2009 and then to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers. This was Quenneville's first Stanley Cup as a head coach.
On October 7, 2010, he became only the second person in NHL history to coach 1,000 games and also play 800 games as a player. He continued to achieve milestones, earning his 600th coaching win on December 18, 2011.
In the 2012–13 season, which was shorter due to a lockout, the Blackhawks won the Presidents' Trophy. Quenneville then led them to their second Stanley Cup victory in 2013, beating the Boston Bruins. This made him one of the few Chicago coaches to win multiple championships.
On March 19, 2014, Quenneville became only the third head coach in NHL history to reach 700 wins. He reached 750 wins on March 23, 2015. His team then won their third Stanley Cup on June 15, 2015, by shutting out the Tampa Bay Lightning. This was the first time the Blackhawks won the championship on their home ice since 1938. With this third win, Quenneville joined a very small group of Chicago coaches who have won three championships.
He continued to climb the coaching wins list, passing Al Arbour for second all-time among NHL coaches with his 783rd win on January 14, 2016. On April 3, 2016, he earned his 800th win, joining Scotty Bowman as the only two coaches with at least 800 wins.
On February 21, 2017, the Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild, giving Quenneville his 400th win as Blackhawks coach. On February 21, 2018, he coached his 1,600th NHL game. By March 10, he had coached 1,608 regular season games, passing Al Arbour for second most all-time.
On November 6, 2018, the Blackhawks decided to let Quenneville go. He finished his time in Chicago with 452 wins, which is the second-highest in Blackhawks history. He also had 890 wins overall, making him the second-winningest coach in NHL history at that time.
Coaching the Florida Panthers
On April 8, 2019, the Florida Panthers hired Quenneville as their head coach. In his first season (2019–20), he led the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. They lost in the qualifying round.
In the 2020–21 season, the Panthers finished strong. In the 2021–22 season, the team started with an impressive 7–0–0 record. However, Quenneville resigned from his position on October 28, 2021.
Coaching the Anaheim Ducks
On May 8, 2025, Joel Quenneville was hired as the 12th head coach in the history of the Anaheim Ducks.
Personal Life
Joel Quenneville comes from a French-Canadian background in Ontario. He is married to Elizabeth, whom he met when he played for the Hartford Whalers. They live in Hinsdale, Illinois, and have three children: Dylan, Lily, and Anna. After working in the U.S. for over 30 years, Quenneville became a United States citizen on May 24, 2011, and now has dual citizenship.
In February 2011, Quenneville had to miss a game because he felt unwell. It was later found that he had a small ulcer, which was likely caused by aspirin. He recovered quickly and returned to coaching soon after.
Joel Quenneville also has several cousins who play hockey. These include Peter Quenneville, John Quenneville, and David Quenneville.
Images for kids
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Quenneville with the Stanley Cup in June 2015.
