Tom Renney 0:00

When you think back to the teams that you had, what do you think it was that defined your best teams?

Joel Quenneville 0:06

Well, I've been fortunate and very grateful for some of the teams that got the coach. We've had a lot of success, but we've had great teams. I know that uh you're looking at personnel. We had a lot of high-end talent, some young talent, and some of the best players that ever played the game, but at that stage of their careers, they're only just beginning. Went on to have that success that everybody hopes to achieve uh by being a champion. These guys made me a champion and being part of that was very special. But that Chicago group was uh one of those teams that in a five-year period, or say you could say six, we had uh won three cups, but there's almost every year it was a different team. And uh the one thing is that was kind of common denominator, we ended up being a four-line team. It was all about the team. We loved our competitiveness, we love our uh physicality, we like our toughness. I think some teams underrated uh us in that area, knowing that uh we were probably thought we were weren't big enough or whatever, but we were as tough as nails, and I think that goes a long way, especially when you're looking at it now. You need some toughness in your lineup. I mean, Carolina, not that big this year, but they're tough as and they're tough as nails, and they played like it right to the end. So we had some characters like that, but it was a constantly we had to change. And uh with the salary cap area, a lot of these guys came from their first or second contracts, and then uh they got to that next layer and what stature, and uh, we had to move on from some of them, and you know it was tough getting rid of them, but at the same time, management did a nice job of changing and adapting.

Tom Renney 1:30

For sure. And I I can remember playing against you guys, and like I thought I was a decent defensive zone coach or defensive coach. No chance. Your guys were everywhere, and it seemed like you've get you'd give them the freedom to be kind of inventive and creative, too, you know, which is pretty tough to defend. You can't defend a person's imagination and you know how they invent things. It seemed to me like your team's always had that little extra creativity to them. Is that accurate?

Joel Quenneville 1:54

I like to think that giving them a lot of freedom to play, simplicity was probably part of it. Offensively, all the freedom in the world to do the right things. There's some things that uh can lead to trouble, obviously recognizing those. But collectively, five guys without the puck have a rhyme or a reason where we had to be. Like that, we support the puck in all zones. All five guys are part of the defense, and then all five guys are participating offensively when we have the puck. So it's a uh I think it's a fun system to play. They do, and you know, I think it's uh you requires you know short shifts and good changes and four lines deep as best you can. We see your best players got to play more and then in key situations. But it's a uh net net. I think the the guys like our system. Some are different in as far as how they tax teams, uh, whether it's man on man or they're chasing guys around in your own end, it can get tiresome and then you get on offense and there's not much there. But uh hey, some teams it works for. I mean, uh, but everybody plays a comparable system. I think ours is uh rather simple and uh we like to pressure and outman and work around fuck.

Tom Renney 2:53

Which of the teams did you learn the most from? Or or what have you learned the most from coaching great teams to championships?

Joel Quenneville 3:00

Well, that's a great question. And it's almost like what team do you it's like your kids, so which who's your favorite kid? You know, it's like uh but uh they all the kids were uh when I say that, I was fortunate to win with in Colorado there. And when I'm sitting there thinking, you know, I hadn't won a championship playing uh and and uh and getting into the coaching, uh, you know, it'd have been a nice we lost the last game I ever played. We lost game seven, Calder Cup Finals. I was a player assistant coach, and we lost game seven at home in Newfoundland. So that was a uh that one hurt. So uh been fortunate in the NHL. I can remember one day we were sitting on the plane. It was the night before everybody's going away for the all-star break, and there's about half the team were on the plane, and they needed a guy to go back to play with the guys, play cards. So I was playing and Patrick was in the game, wah. And uh in the middle of the game, we're playing, and all of a sudden, right out of the blue, he says, Hey Joel, we're gonna win a Stanley Cup this year. And I'm sitting there and I says, I look down and I goes, What makes you think that? He goes, You'll see. And uh I kind of held it to him. Uh I made sure that, you know, at the end of the day, uh nobody was more of a prophet than that one was when it when he was uh he was bang on. But you know, sometimes you gotta verbalize it. Maybe that's how he that was his uh part of his greatness that uh would back it up.

Tom Renney 4:10

Yeah.

Joel Quenneville 4:10

He was unique, and I think everybody uh has their ways, but each team you learn something new. I think that having a guy or two on your teams and teams that hadn't won before are very effective of saying their piece on how they handle key moments going into the last couple of games. And uh, how do you sleep before the next night you could win a championship and how do you prepare that game day? John Madden was on one of our teams when uh in Chicago. Those lessons were valuable. And uh, you know, the guys that came in there in the second and third ones in uh in Chicago, they helped the new guys. It's tough, it's very unique, and uh the little things you pick up, but I just know that the one thing is it is a hard thing to do. A lot of things gotta go right. You gotta catch their uh catch it before they you get off the the rails there a little bit, and you might have to adapt and make changes. And sometimes the changes aren't pleasant, and you gotta get the the sell job a little bit, but at the same time, you know, you gotta be ready to adapt, make changes, and get back to the theme that we always have is uh make it and keep it fun.

Tom Renney 5:07

It always seemed like you had a super competitive culture for sure. And the guys, they appeared to me like they had fun playing, and even your teams now, Anaheim looks like they're having a gas playing hockey. I think that's important, quite honestly. But how do you maintain a strong culture? Because there's all kinds of moving parts, like you say. You know, you've got guys making different money for sure, guys coming in under different circumstances, different nationalities. How do you galvanize a group and and have that culture, you know, kind of protect itself and move on, move forward together?

Joel Quenneville 5:35

It's a great question, and it's very accurate as far as the challenges of uh keeping your team together, knowing that everybody's in a different place, measure everybody's way they approach their day, regularly tune into what uh how they're progressing individually, know where they're coming from, knowing, you know, you know you're gonna be talking to that guy the next day, tell him he's probably not playing, they sense it. But I just think that those are key guys that can really influence a run in the playoffs, knowing that you want to keep the harmony from one to 23 where it's uh maybe even more in the playoffs, but at the same time, you basically can visit with everybody where they're at, knowing that they're vital to the team's attitude and their attitude can be very influential and very negative around certain people. And having these guys in a positive environment, making these guys push one another and push uh the guys that are in the lineup in a way that it's a positive environment around for everybody. And I know that I've been around it a lot of times where you, you know, you're you're sitting guys or your guys aren't playing as much as they would like and they can't get in, and all of a sudden they get in and they they make a difference. And I think just keeping that that group happy, but at the same time visiting, whether you're you no matter what kind of player you are or who you are, everybody should know their roles and expectations. And we visit with that quarterly with the players individually. I do. Everybody kind of has an idea where they're standing, what they're hoping for over the course of the season they can add to the conversation as far as what they see that uh they can help with the team. I'm sure in most cases everybody what's best for them, but at the same time, let's keep the the team there as a priority.

Tom Renney 7:00

With that, did you know earlier you you mentioned to Patrick and when did you know that the team at the beginning, I guess we kind of talk about Chicago, but you've done this a couple of times. When did you know that the team was championship ready? Gave us an example.

Joel Quenneville 7:12

You don't know. And uh crazy that we're asking this question. I had this feeling like in the middle of this playoff run when I say that, and then the Vegas run, where I felt like, oh my God, it was kind of this feeling I had when we were in Chicago. We're gonna win. We're gonna win this game, we're gonna win this series. And it's almost like we got them where we want them. And obviously it didn't happen, but you know, I I just think there's so much momentum that bills and everybody's going through that same point in their process of the teams that are are still around. But at the same time, our group was like, we were really excited about what's going on. You know, we made a big focus at the start. We needed a big start. We got the big start. We needed to make the playoffs. We are lucky at the end that it got a little haywire. We got in.

Tom Renney 7:50

Yeah.

Joel Quenneville 7:50

We went, we beat, you know, the team that goes to the cup finals back to back, and all of a sudden, you know, we know we got our work cut out for us and then got us some confidence, and then we, you know, we we got a little bit of, you know, we had Vegas at the end, but it's a uh we still had to win two three more rounds, so it's like it was a long shot. But at the same time, you don't know, you know, we lost uh game seven with a lead in the third period against LA in the conference finals, they go on to beat the Rangers in five games, and that that one hurts. Uh uh you know, it's not like uh it's an automatic when you go that deep. But we've had a lot of success knowing that I think everybody pushes each other. We had some great leaders. The leadership that uh I've been fortunate to be a part of is uh second to none. Then I think that goes and speaks volume for your team, knowing that your best players uh are the captains and then they shine come this time. And uh I think that wasn't one thing about Chicago was that our best players as the series went on, they dominated. And that's why uh you know I just get out of the way.

Tom Renney 8:49

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. If it's hard to do that in October, but um and it's not because we're winning when I was coaching. So how's your coaching evolved over thirty plus years of coaching at the this level?

Joel Quenneville 9:01

Aaron Powell You know what? I don't think I've I've changed a whole lot. We like when I say like to have fun, guys want to go practice. We practice short. We get days off, get a little bit more, maybe days off than other teams. But when we go, we go all out. You know, we want to incorporate everybody on the games, we try to go four lines deep. We like to make sure that there's uh I always say how a a masterpiece is a uh you know, we uh win the game and everybody got ten minutes of ice time. So that's the masterpiece. And if we can get that, that's kind of like a win for the whole staff and and the players as well. You know, but I think we want to make sure that the game, when I say fun, winning's fun, working hard and being successful is fun, seeing somebody do things they haven't done before and growing uh for as a coaching perspective and the staff. We had a wonderful staff this year that really helped us in a lot of ways, and I think our players were fortunate to get some exposure to some of the thought process and the history from the coaches. I learned a lot too. So it was a fun year in a lot of ways uh with our group.

Tom Renney 9:56

Yeah, I could see that. And it's great to see that. And I I wonder, you know, talking about your coaching staff, how important those that support system is for delivering your message, creating that sort of whatever type of relationship you can create with players or whatever, and also bring a level of competence, you know, where their strengths are. But putting a staff together is essential and it's gotta be it's gotta be bang on, doesn't it?

Joel Quenneville 10:19

Well, I was lucky right off the bat and was like, okay, we got Timmy Army was the only one that stayed, and uh, you know, Woody came on. She's been a great coach for us and for me and for our team. You know, had head coaching experience, Ryan McGills had head coaching experience, could run the D. Andrew Brewer was a little bit of everything with him. Uh we're gonna miss him. You know, but everybody had a little niche, you know, PP, PK, face-offs, bag skates, whatever, pregame scouting, reviews, and everybody uh seemed to the knowledge was in place. I mean, there's a lot of guys that uh put in a lot of years of experience. The players are receptive. Our meetings were entertaining. It wasn't uh it was one of the few years I can say that when we have coaches' meetings, when whoever we was presenting, it was almost like they were getting funnier every day. The guys were almost expecting. So that looseness was in a good way. We always had your attention, but at the same time, there was some fun behind it, and uh everybody signed it, might have a cute little story that was in the middle of their talk.

Tom Renney 11:15

The way I know you too, Q, I I would think that you give that guy that responsibility with the PKPP, you know, whatever it is, and they get the opportunity to own it. And of course they're gonna have that dialogue with you and you know, make sure things are aligning. But my guess is that you empower your coaches to to be great in their domain, you know, that niche that you talked about.

Joel Quenneville 11:35

Absolutely, absolutely. And the one thing is we can share ideas along the way, and I know like there's gonna be one uh unit's gonna be great. The PP to this year or halfway through the year is great, PK sucks. And at the same time, I always take a responsibility. Like it's my fault that the PK is not well, and the power plays we share in the responsibilities and we all have input. At the end of the day, head coach, I don't want to put either one in a competition amongst the assistants. And uh hey, it's it's my responsibility. We're gonna get it right, and we're gonna have some moments where they're gonna be a PP is gonna suck and the power play uh it's gonna roll or not roll. So it's uh everybody has those hardships through a season. Sometimes it can be where it's can be a little bit troublesome and uh try to make everybody feel comfortable knowing that uh it's on my shoulders.

Tom Renney 12:20

Yeah, for sure. This is gonna be a tough one, I think. I don't know, because I can't relate to it. What makes an elite coach? What makes a coach elite other than winning championships?

Joel Quenneville 12:30

No idea. No idea. I'm gonna say be lucky that you get great players is a probably a good start. Great players, good players, competitive guys, uh leaders, and letting everybody uh play to their strengths as best they can. I always think that the camaraderie of the players, they they got their camaraderie coaching staff. We have our camaraderie. You know, we get together, we all feel like we're all playing together and working for one another. But I don't know what makes it a lead. I think you gotta win, uh, might be the probably the easiest way to measure it. But I can say that I've full coached a lot of great players, and I feel very fortunate to be uh in some of my old skates that I still put on.

Tom Renney 13:10

Do you remember it's a crazy question, and I won't keep you much longer. Do you remember your minor hockey coaches?

Joel Quenneville 13:16

Yep. Yeah, I do. I can remember Al Perry. I had L. Perry two Bannham years he had me. First the minor and major Bannams, and uh he had a booming voice. All right, and we'd skate around before practice and he'd say, No, you gotta go start the other way. Nobody ever went the other way when you started a practice, but you always had to go the other way with him. And he'd always be yelling out in the middle of the practice on the bench in the game. He says, If we have the puck, they can't score. All right, so that's still embedded with me. And right? And I'm and I'm watching it, right? And then I'm watching the soccer game on Sunday, all right, World Cup, and the guy saying, Well, Spain's gonna have the ball the whole game. They can't lose the game. But if they don't score, they could lose, right? But he was saying that and I'm thinking Al Perry, okay? And it was like uh it's so true. I mean, we we love playing with the puck. We want possession, we want to keep it as long as we can. I remember him. Bill Ryder was another coach. I had uh Owen Freeman kind of junior, junior bees, uh oh yeah. We I had uh Max Nair and Jr. I remember them all. Yeah. I remember the teammate too. I remember we had a really good team when I was a novice. We had a tremendous team. We had four guys on our team played in the NHL from a small town in Riverside. So that was a kind of a uh Oh yeah, that was kind of a cool thing.

Tom Renney 14:38

There's the backside to that. Do you remember your school teachers? The elementary school team?

Joel Quenneville 14:42

Yeah. Madame uh Souillier, Madame Rourel, uh all French. I went to a French school when I was a kid.

Tom Renney 14:48

Yeah, yeah. And it's interesting because the question, next question is why do you remember them? And you talked about Al and those are things that I think coaches today have to kind of remember that they have that kind of impact. Whether you're coaching Utah or whatever, you know, you have that kind of impact. And with all the everything that's going on nowadays for a young Kaida or Gail to have to sort out, you know, that the rink needs to become the destination, a place where they have fun, they work hard, they're challenged. And uh for you to remember both your school teachers and your coaches, I think is really important. And the big question is why do you remember?

Joel Quenneville 15:21

Well, there's a lot more I didn't say, but I I could I probably could come up with a few more.

Tom Renney 15:26

Well, I'm sure we can. Here's a question for you. I I just wrote this one down. What do you want to see in a young prospect coming into your organization for the first time?

Joel Quenneville 15:34

Well, I basically gonna say what I saw Beckett come in our our team last year. Oh, he got my attention. There's a kid that we're gonna see him pretty shortly here. He played, went to college, went back to college. He we drafted in the first round, Roger McQueen. And he wowed me to a different level when I saw him. Got a couple more first rounders this year. We got a couple more younger kids that I haven't seen yet. I'm excited about it. I know that uh we're fortunate that these guys are not just good players. They could be the next level. And that's the excitement uh that they bring to the team, to me as a coach, being privileged to be working with them. At the same time, I don't think we we want to make it as competitive as it can be for everybody, but we like to make sure that everybody knows the standard that we come in here. Basically, uh you get what you deserve, you get what you earn. And uh the better things go, the better you're gonna get and the better the opportunity. So we keep that philosophy right from the get-go. Everybody knows uh whether you're young, you're old, you're uh in between, you know, performance is gonna be nobody owes anybody anything. So it's uh kind of a meritocracy type of an approach. But our young guys, uh, you know, I thought last year uh the kid had a wonderful year, but his highs and lows were were gigantic. I thought there was some progress, so closing those gaps as the year went along. But uh his ability at the top end is uh outstanding to watch. And uh knowing we try to give him that balance of, you know, keep doing your thing. At the same time, let's be respectful to the score and your opponent.

Tom Renney 16:58

My last question, Q. There's been a lot made out of you know, this generation of player, the ones that are coming in now and even previous to that. You know, the player is different, uh, you know, everything's everything's kind of different. Are you buying into that? And have you changed your coaching style at all to be able to relate to them or anything? Like, you know, it seems like it is, but you know, you you've been coaching in this lot way longer than I have. I'm just curious to have your thoughts on that.

Joel Quenneville 17:21

Oh yeah, for sure. For sure it has. They need more feedback. They're looking for input, they're looking for whys, why this, like why am I on the third line? Why am I playing right wing right now? And uh before you look at the guy, what the hell you what you're like, I mean, you make a decision as coach, you never had to explain what why you made decisions to players. So they need a little bit of that and uh that you're not used to. At the same time, uh sometimes you don't mind uh guys having to think their way through it, and at the same time, you don't mind uh it's sometimes it's painfully obvious so you don't have to explain yourself. At the same time, sometimes uh you know, you get these questions and it's all healthy. The doors are wide open. All the guys that be approached uh as a coach, uh be receptive to it. We like to share whatever we're hearing from other guys so we all know where everybody's coming from. But uh the whys and uh, you know, what's basically why do we do things? So why do we do this? What how come this and how come that? Where they didn't have to worry about we never thought of that in our lives because I don't know if we were afraid of the standard or the way the coach was thinking, but I guess it's more uh open now and uh, you know, we're you know, the experienced guys, we're welcome to uh ideas and we're welcome to anybody saying anything they want to ask us at any time. And uh, you know, we work with it. But it's more uh they want to know sometimes, you know, the decisions as well, which you know you some you gotta be careful. Too much information sometimes is not healthy. At the same time, we'd love to coach on the everything's positive as best we can. You know you're gonna have some really rough days, but at the same time we try to go back to that angle and uh refreshing everybody in the in the right way, and we don't try to belittle anybody in our meetings. Everybody's kind of uh in tune, probably give up maybe a lot more information than maybe some other teams, but that could be uh they could say just the opposite.

Tom Renney 19:02

Yeah, for sure. What advice would you give to an aspiring coach, male or female? What advice would you give to an aspiring coach on that process of being able to coach and coach well?

Joel Quenneville 19:11

Yeah, no matter what level, I always say you got to be yourself. Be yourself every day. Uh players are always watching you. They want to see you screw up, do this, do that. You're always on, you're always on. You can have those moments where you can make them light and you're not on, but they can have fun with it as well. And trust your gut, trust your instincts, tell it like it is. Make sure that you're telling them one thing and you you do that thing. I think that bodes well for success, knowing that everybody's included and everybody's important.

Tom Renney 19:38

Good stuff. Q, listen, uh, we went a little over, but uh I really appreciate the time that you've provided and and uh it's good to see you again and always enjoy chatting with you. And I wish you good luck in Anaheim and keep it going.

Joel Quenneville 19:48

All right. Well, good luck with the show. If you ever need me, let me know. And uh hey, all the best.

Tom Renney 19:54

Thanks, Q.