Ducks HC Looking to Join Exclusive 1000-Win Club

The Anaheim Ducks are looking to get back to their scramble for the wild-card spot in the Pacific Division, with their first game post-Olympic break allowing their head coach the chance to join a very exclusive club.

Oct 11, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Joel Quenneville stands one victory away from hockey immortality. The Anaheim Ducks coach enters the first game after the Olympic break with 999 career wins. He can become the second NHL coach to reach 1,000 victories when the Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.

Only Scotty Bowman has accomplished the feat. The legendary coach won 1,244 games across 30 NHL seasons with five different franchises. Quenneville has compiled his 999-595-230 record over 24 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and now Anaheim.

The milestone seemed impossible just three years ago. Quenneville was banned from the NHL in October 2021 for mishandling a sexual assault allegation during his tenure with the Blackhawks. He resigned as Panthers coach before the league reinstated him three years later, in July 2024.

Three Stanley Cups With Blackhawks

Quenneville built his legacy in Chicago, where he coached from 2008 to 2018 and led the Blackhawks to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The 2010 victory ended a 49-year title drought for the franchise.

He became the third coach in Chicago sports history to win three championships, joining George Halas of the Bears and Phil Jackson of the Bulls. Quenneville won 452 games with the Blackhawks before being fired after a 6-6-3 start in November 2018.

The 67-year-old also won the Jack Adams Award with St. Louis in 2000 after leading the Blues to a franchise-record 51 wins and the Presidents' Trophy. He ranks second in NHL history in games coached with 1,778 behind only Bowman.

Playoff Implications Against Oilers

This matchup carries significant playoff stakes. The Ducks sit tied with the Seattle Kraken for third in the Pacific Division at 30-23-3 with 63 points. Both teams hold the Western Conference wild card spots, though Seattle ranks ahead on regulation wins.

Edmonton enters the game second in the Pacific with 64 points despite a 28-22-8 record. The Oilers lost their final three games before the Olympic break and are trying to avoid another disappointing regular season after consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances.

Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Matthew Tkachuk of the United States and Connor McDavid of Canada reacts after the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Connor McDavid's status remains uncertain after helping Canada earn silver at the Olympics. The captain arrived in Anaheim earlier this week but coach Kris Knoblauch was unsure whether McDavid would play in the first game back or wait until the next day at the Los Angeles Kings.

Ducks End Six-Year Playoff Drought

Quenneville was named the 12th coach in Ducks history on May 8, 2025, inheriting a team with the third-longest active playoff drought in the NHL. Anaheim has missed the postseason every year since 2018, finishing sixth in the Pacific Division last season.

The Ducks have exceeded expectations under Quenneville, sitting in a playoff position with 26 games remaining. Anaheim went 8-2 in their final 10 games before the Olympic break after a nine-game losing streak threatened to derail their season. The winner of this game could finish the night in second place in the Pacific Division standings.

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