Consulted Ducks players 'unbelievably supportive' of Randy Carlyle hire

Randy Carlyle's former pupils may have been the deciding factor in his return to an NHL bench.

Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray, in his reintroducing of Carlyle to the media Tuesday, revealed his tenured stars were in complete support, even pressuring him to facilitate the head coach's return.

Murray says he consulted some players while considering Carlyle. 'The feedback was unbelievably supportive and pushing by a few of them.'

- Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) June 14, 2016

Only a handful of players were around during the coach's initial tenure; Anaheim's seen substantial turnover since. Yet, the players who were around - Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry - have been unable to reproduce the same success in his absence. The trio won a Stanley Cup in 2007 when Getzlaf and Perry were second-year professionals.

As an aside, it doesn't appear former Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney was consulted.

This should work out well. No one could stand the guy when he got fired in Anaheim before and now he'ssssssss back https://t.co/3TIWik2Gzn

- Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) June 14, 2016

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