NHN Podcast – Ep. 4: Greg Cronin; Michael Augello

Greg Cronin is ready to coach a young core of Anaheim Ducks, and the Buffalo Sabres are looking like a playoff-caliber team going into the 2023-24 NHL season.

Episode 4 of the National Hockey Now Podcast is out now!

Long-time NHL Reporter Jimmy Murphy and Producer Blake Thorne bring on new Anaheim Ducks Head Coach Greg Cronin to talk about adapting to the young lineup he’s inherited in Anaheim. We then switch coasts and bring on Buffalo Hockey Now‘s Michael Augello to talk about the current state of the Buffalo Sabres.

1:10 – Greg talks about what led him to become the Head Coach of the Anaheim Ducks.

3:30 – Greg speaks on the young roster he now gets to coach and talks about the journey that led him into the NHL coaching world.

6:00 – Jimmy and Greg discuss how coaching methods must adapt as younger generations enter the system.

Greg: “Coaching now has to change with the generation…when I was playing football, I remember this at Brown and Nichols…if you screwed up a block, he grabbed you by your face mask. Then he shook your head and pushed you back — like you’d get fired ten minutes after that happened today…(for) today’s athlete, that doesn’t work.”

9:00 – Greg informs Jimmy and Blake about his knowledge of the Ducks before getting hired to be behind the bench and talks about getting to know his team.

11:45 – Blake gets Greg to talk about what he and the other coaching staff are pushing to a spotlighted player like Anaheim Ducks superstar Trevor Zegras daily.

13:50 – Jimmy tells a story about how Greg and his brother used to babysit him as a child.

Jimmy: “They taught me how to fight, they taught me how to swing a bat, they taught me how to pitch — they were like big brothers to me.”

14:15 – Jimmy tells a comedic story about Greg’s first practice coaching at Northeastern — punching bags were involved.

19:00 – Jimmy and Blake talk about the latest Don Sweeney press conference: Tyler Bertuzzi’s deal in Toronto and the latest on Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

20:50 – Buffalo Hockey Now’s Michael Augello joins the show to talk Sabres.

21:45 – Michael speaks on the current state of the goaltending in Buffalo.

24:45 – Blake asks Michael where he sees ex-Boston Bruin Connor Clifton falling into the Sabres’ lineup.

29:45 – Michael gives his opinion on ex-Sabres’ Head Coach Ralph Kruger.

Michael: “Ralph Kruger is the Rex Ryan of NHL coaches.”

Stay updated with us on Twitter to see when Episode 5 drops @NatHockeyNow, @MurphysLaw74, and @_BlakeThorne!