Hockey History
Quinn Interviewed for Sharks’ Head Coach…in 2015
David Quinn could’ve been the head coach of the San Jose Sharks…in 2015.
GM Mike Grier’s new bench boss, who will be introduced next week, told the Cam & Strick Podcast in December, “I had a conversation [about an NHL head coaching job], one time, after my second year, after we lost the national championship game. I talked to San Jose, I went deep with San Jose in that process.
“They didn’t offer me the job, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that they did. But I was just content to be at BU.”
In May 2015, Quinn had just steered Boston University to the NCAA championship game and the San Jose Sharks, who had just missed the playoffs, were looking to replace Todd McLellan. GM Doug Wilson would tap Peter DeBoer over Dan Bylsma, Randy Carlyle, Adam Oates, and possibly Dave Lowry, Trent Yawney, and Kevin Dineen, according to the Mercury News.
Add Quinn to that list.
Quinn would remain in charge at BU until May 2018, when he got his first NHL head coaching gig with the New York Rangers. DeBoer would guide the San Jose Sharks to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final and 2019 Western Conference Final.
The Rangers missed the post-season throughout Quinn’s tenure, and they fired him in May 2021. The Sharks let DeBoer go in Dec. 2019 and replaced him with Bob Boughner, who Quinn will take the reins from.
And now, Quinn will get another shot at turning around the Sharks.