While it hasn’t been yet been made public, the Avalanche has decided on a new head coach of the Colorado Eagles, their new American Hockey League affiliate, BSN Denver has learned:
That person is Greg Cronin, a former assistant coach with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. Cronin will serve as head coach of the Eagles, while former Eagles head coach Aaron Schneekloth will stay on as an assistant coach, as will Ryan Tobler.
A formal announcement is expected soon.
Cronin, 55, has had a long career in coaching, including a stint from 1990-93 as an assistant at Colorado College. He had two assistant coaching stints with the Islanders, including last season. He coached Northeastern from 2005-11, and has also coached at Maine. He played college hockey at Colby College in the 1980s.
The Eagles are making the jump from the ECHL, where they finished as two-time defending Kelly Cup champions under Schneekloth, to the AHL. The Avalanche make the big hockey operations moves for the Eagles now, though former Eagles front office staff has been retained.
The Eagles begin their next season Oct. 5 at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland against the Chicago Wolves.
0 Comments (4 conversations)
ljp78
This, by far, is the most disappointing part of the off season. If his past coaching philosophies have not changed, then this hire makes no sense. Is this a Billington move? Does he hire for the AHL? Cronin’s past quotes about possession not mattering would make Patrick Roy proud. The more I think about it, the more bummed out I get.
PK
Yea I would love to hear them talk about this on the podcast. The good, the bad the why?
Raz
I second this. Can we get some conversation on this in the next podcast?
TexAvs
What a strange hire, did OK in college but sounds like a Old Schoo Coach l that is afraid of the future. There has to be a connection to someone in the front office.
Dayton Buchanan
Don’t understand this from any direction. Doesn’t seem like a stylistic fit and what kind of message does this send to other members of the organization? You win two straight championships at your level and you don’t reward the guy? Really hoping this wojld be a season of change for avs at the AHL level but so far not so good…
EZephyr
This is a good move. Remember the ECHL Eagles club is getting promoted into the AHL. So last year’s Eagles ECHL coaches are moving up to be assistants at the higher level while they are getting a coach with experience at the NHL and AHL levels.