San Jose Sharks
CONFIRMED: David Quinn Will Be Sharks’ New Head Coach
Maybe it was David Quinn’s job to lose?
Even before Mike Grier was officially introduced as the San Jose Sharks’ new GM earlier this month, Pierre LeBrun was already floating that Quinn would be Grier’s choice for Sharks head coach.
SPECULATION: If Grier Becomes Sharks GM, Will David Quinn Be Head Coach?
That possibility looks like it will become reality, with Elliotte Friedman reporting this afternoon that the San Jose Sharks are “zeroing in on David Quinn as next head coach.”
SJ zeroing in on David Quinn as next head coach. Appears Mike Vellucci (PIT) and Spencer Carbery (TOR) were finalists.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 21, 2022
San Jose Hockey Now can confirm that the deal was done tonight, and that Quinn will be the next head coach of the San Jose Sharks. He will be the 11th head coach in franchise history. He follows Bob Boughner, let go on Jul. 1, who had a 67-85-23 record from Dec. 2019 to 2021-22 for the Sharks.
Deal got done tonight, can confirm that David Quinn is #SJSharks' new head coach. Expect the introductory press conference to be next week https://t.co/vFgBAxfV7u
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) July 22, 2022
Kevin Weekes reports that Quinn has signed a three-year contract with San Jose:
**Breaking News** 🚨 📰
Per @Sheng_Peng , and @FriedgeHNIC , the @SanJoseSharks have hired David Quinn as their new HC, sources tell me it’s a 3 Yr contract. @espn @NHL #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/EGlQnVsMv9
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) July 22, 2022
There’s the obvious Boston University connection between Quinn and Grier, though they didn’t skate together there: Grier played at BU from 1993-96, while Quinn played there from 1984-88.
Quinn, 55, was most recently the head coach of the New York Rangers, leading the team to a 96-87-25 record from 2018-21. The Rangers failed to make the playoffs in each of Quinn’s three seasons behind the bench.
From 2013-2018, Quinn was the bench boss for Boston University, guiding the team to a more robust 100-59-20 record. He was named the Hockey East Coach of the Year in 2015.
There’s no questioning his experience: In an almost 30-year coaching career, Quinn has also been the head coach of the 2022 USA Olympic men’s ice hockey team, the 2022 USA World Championships team, the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters, and in the USNTDP program, and an associate or assistant coach for multiple USA World Championships men’s and women’s ice hockey squads, the Colorado Avalanche, BU, University of Nebraska-Omaha, and Northeastern University.
He was named the 2003 USA Hockey Development Coach of the Year and won the 2009 NCAA Championship as BU’s Associate Head Coach.
Quinn brings a reputation for being an excellent communicator and teacher to the San Jose Sharks.
Mike Grier said last week that he was looking to conclude his coaching search quickly, and he’s a man of his word. Last Thursday, he told San Jose Barracuda announcer Nick Nollenberger during San Jose Sharks development camp prospects scrimmage, “We have to get through the interviews and coach search, hopefully we can wrap that up in the next week to 10 days.”
As for the other candidates, Friedman confirms San Jose Hockey Now’s report that Toronto Maple Leafs assistant head coach Spencer Carbery was interviewed for the position. Friedman added that Pittsburgh Penguins’ assistant coach Mike Vellucci was also a finalist. Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now reported that Boston Bruins assistant head coach Joe Sacco was interviewed. SJHN also reported that Chicago Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky was in the mix.
SOURCE: Spencer Carbery Has Interviewed for Sharks’ Head Coach
SOURCE: Ryan Warsofsky Has Interviewed for Sharks Head Coach
We’ll be posting our reaction to the hiring of David Quinn shortly.