June 16 (UPI) -- The Anaheim Ducks are hiring Dallas Eakins as the franchise's new head coach, league sources told TSN and The Athletic on Sunday.
The Ducks are expected to formally introduce him Monday, according to The Athletic.
Eakins has coached the Ducks' AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, since 2015. He previously coached the Edmonton Oilers from 2013-15.
The 52-year-old coach was an NHL defenseman, playing with eight different teams from 1992 to 2002. He played a career-high 23 games with the Florida Panthers in the 1997-98 campaign. He also spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Calgary Flames and the then-Phoenix Coyotes.
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After finishing his playing career, Eakins led the AHL's Toronto Marlies before accepting the Oilers' head-coaching job. Edmonton had 67 points in the 2013-14 campaign and failed to make the playoffs. The franchise fired him 31 games into the next season.
While coaching the Gulls, Eakins guided the club to a third-place finish in the AHL's Pacific Division. The team advanced to the semifinals of the Calder Cup playoffs before losing. Previously, he signed a multi-year contract extension with the Gulls in May 2018.
The Ducks fired former coach Randy Carlyle, who was in his second stint with the team, in February. Anaheim finished sixth in the Pacific Division and missed the postseason for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
