(San Jose) The San Jose Sharks have hired David Quinn as head coach.
Posted yesterday at 3:21 p.m.
The Sharks announced Tuesday that Quinn, who held a similar role with the New York Rangers most recently, will replace Bob Boughner, who was fired a few weeks ago.
“His past experience as an NHL head coach is invaluable to us, and he showcases a system that aligns with our philosophy of being a tough rival to play against,” general manager Mike Grier said in a statement.
The 55-year-old Quinn served as Rangers head coach for three seasons, between 2018 and 2021, and posted a 96-87-25 record. Under him, the Rangers did not make the playoffs in 2019 or 2021.
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic raged and NHL teams played in sheltered environments commonly referred to as “bubbles,” the Rangers were defeated in the qualifying round to advance to the playoffs.
Quinn also served as head coach for five seasons at Boston University. Last February, meanwhile, he led Team USA to a fifth-place finish at the Olympic hockey tournament in Beijing.
The Sharks began an organizational shake-up after missing the playoffs for a third straight season, a first in franchise history.
Longtime Sharks general manager Doug Wilson stepped down on medical grounds in April. Then, in late June, Boughner and three assistants were fired after the team went 67-85-23 in just over two seasons at the helm.
Earlier in July, the Sharks handed over the general manager job to Grier, and he has already made significant staff changes related to hockey operations. Now he has just appointed a new head coach in the hope of turning the tide.
Most recently, the Sharks traded star defenseman Brent Burns and added several veterans like forwards Oskar Lindblom, Luke Kunin, Nico Sturm and Steven Lorentz as well as defensemen Markus Nutivaara and Matt Benning in hopes of bringing in more depth. to the team.
Quinn will lead a squad that struggled to score goals last season but still has a few key players, including forwards Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture and Timo Meier and defender Erik Karlsson.