Joel Quenneville made history Wednesday night, becoming only the second coach in NHL history to reach 1,000 wins as his Anaheim Ducks came from behind to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5.
Quenneville joins the legendary Scotty Bowman in this exclusive milestone. Bowman achieved the mark with the Detroit Red Wings in February 1997, just one month after Quenneville’s first NHL game with the St. Louis Blues, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
The Ducks’ win was dramatic: Anaheim overcame two two-goal deficits and a third-period deficit before Cutter Gauthier scored the game-winning goal with 1:14 left. Quenneville celebrated with his players at the bench before stepping onto the ice for a team photo.
At 67, Quenneville has made a strong NHL return after a four-year absence following his resignation from the Florida Panthers in 2021 amid the Chicago Blackhawks sexual abuse scandal fallout.
His NHL ban was lifted in July 2024, and the Ducks hired him a year later to revive a franchise that had missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons. Under Quenneville, Anaheim (31-23-3) is now a strong contender in the Western Conference. In his 26 seasons as a head coach, Quenneville’s teams have reached the playoffs 20 times.
Quenneville played 13 NHL seasons as a defenseman before turning to coaching. He won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks between 2008 and 2017. His 1,000th win came in his 1,825th game; Bowman finished his career with 1,244 wins in 2,141 games and nine Stanley Cups.
After retiring as a player in 1992, Quenneville earned a Stanley Cup as an assistant with Colorado in 1996. He then coached St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago, and Florida before returning to Anaheim. Despite past controversies, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged Quenneville’s remorse and work with advocacy groups on leadership in sensitive situations.
With Quenneville’s achievement, the NHL could see two more coaches join the 1,000-win club soon. Paul Maurice, with 945 wins, and Lindy Ruff, with 933, are both nearing the milestone.