BU's Quinn Takes Over in San Jose

David Quinn (Boston University) is back behind an NHL bench.

Quinn, 55, who previously led the New York Rangers from 2018 to 2021 in his first-ever stint as an NHL head coach, was handed the reins to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week. The Cranston, R.I. native spent last season coaching Team USA at both the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, and the 2022 IIHF World Championship in Finland.

Quinn finished with a record of 96-87-25 in 208 NHL regular-season games with the Rangers, leading them to one Stanley Cup Playoff appearance. He was relieved of his coaching duties in Manhattan following the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, after guiding the Rangers to a 27-23-6 mark that year.

Quinn served as a college assistant at Northeastern and Nebraska-Omaha to start his coaching career, and then spent five years as an associate at BU, helping the Terriers to the 2009 NCAA title in his final year there. He then coached Lake Erie (AHL) for three seasons, and spent one season as an assistant with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, before taking the top job at his alma mater in 2013. 

In five seasons at the BU helm, Quinn guided the Terriers to a 105-68-21 overall record, including four NCAA Tournament berths, two Hockey East Association regular-season titles, two HEA tournament crowns, and one Beanpot Tournament title, plus the 2015 NCAA Championship Game in Boston. He remained at BU until signing on with the Rangers in 2018.

A product of the Kent School in Connecticut, where he served as varsity team captain both of his years there, Quinn was a first-round draft choice of the NHL's old Minnesota North Stars in 1984, as a defenseman. He then skated three seasons for BU (1984-1987), while battling a blood disorder known as Christmas Disease that cut his college career short. Later, with medication, he went on to play two years professionally, one each with Binghamton (AHL) and Cleveland (IHL), before joining the coaching ranks in 1993-94 at NU.

The Sharks, who made the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, have missed the NHL playoffs the past three seasons. They finished 32-37-13 overall in 2021-22, and were 20 points out of a potential playoff slot.