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Nor did he blame predecessor Dallas Eakins, whom Cronin had coached as a player and coached against in the American Hockey League.

Cronin replaces Dallas Eakins, whose contract wasn’t renewed in April after the Ducks finished their fourth consecutive losing season of his tenure.

The Ducks never finished higher than sixth in the Pacific Division during Eakins’ four years in charge.

He becomes only the Ducks’ fourth permanent head coach since Henry and Susan Samueli bought the franchise from Disney in 2005, joining Randy Carlyle, Bruce Boudreau and Eakins.

Afterward, coach Dallas Eakins was not retained by general manager Pat Verbeek.