Blues add ex-Ducks head coach to Jim Montgomery’s staff

The St. Louis Blues have hired Greg Cronin and Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal as assistant coaches on multi-year contracts for the 2026-27 season under head coach Jim Montgomery, the team announced on Monday.

Cronin, 63, arrives after serving one season as head coach of AHL Iowa, finishing with a 27-36-9 record. He most recently held NHL head coaching duties with the Anaheim Ducks (2023-25), where the team achieved a 3.38 goals-against average and a 73.2% penalty kill during his two seasons behind the bench before he was dismissed in 2025. Cronin’s coaching resume also includes assistant coach roles with the New York Islanders (1999-03, 2014-18) and Toronto Maple Leafs (2011-14). In the AHL, he led the Colorado Eagles (2018-23) to four postseason appearances and previously coached the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2003-05). His NCAA experience includes head coaching roles at Northeastern University (2005-11) and the University of Maine (1995-97), along with assistant positions at Maine, Colorado College, and Colby College. He has also worked with USA Hockey programs, including multiple World Championships and World Junior Championships.

Prospal, 51, joins after three seasons as an assistant coach with AHL Rochester, where the team compiled a 112-76-28 record and reached the postseason each year. As a player, he competed in 1,108 NHL games, recording 255 goals and 765 points, including 79 power-play goals and 246 power-play points across a 16-season career with teams including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Ducks.

Jeremy Coupal has also been hired as assistant coach — video after working as video coach for Team Canada at the 2025 and 2026 Spengler Cups. He previously spent seven seasons as video coach with the Edmonton Oilers and three seasons as video coordinator with the Nashville Predators.

The coaching additions complete Montgomery’s staff for 2026-27. Montgomery, hired under a five-year contract in 2024, is assembling his first full staff since taking over. Elliott Mondou has been promoted to assistant to the general manager, while David Alexander returns as goaltending director. Assistant coaches Steve Ott, Claude Julien, and Mike Weber previously departed or were reassigned, with Ott moving to Springfield and Julien and Weber not being renewed.

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