Following his retirement from professional ice hockey, he spent 18 years as head coach of various teams at Princeton University.

[1] Quackenbush began his junior career playing for the Toronto Native Sons of the Ontario Hockey Association.

[5] The following season, he played for the Brantford Lions, scoring 34 points in 23 games, and caught the attention of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.

[1] Quackenbush signed as a free-agent with the Red Wings on October 19, 1942,[6] and played 10 games during the 1942–43 season before breaking his wrist.

[5] After recovering from the injury, Detroit assigned him to the American Hockey League where he joined the Indianapolis Capitals.

[10] He also became the third and most recent Lady Byng recipient(After Syl Apps and Bill Mosienko) not to record a single penalty minute all season.

Detroit General Manager Jack Adams detested the award and felt that any player who won it did not belong on his team, so he promptly traded Quackenbush.

[11] He was sent to the Boston Bruins with Pete Horeck for Pete Babando, Clare Martin and Jimmy Peters, Sr.[6] Quackenbush became a fan favourite upon his arrival in Boston, where his offensive style of play was compared to former Bruin (and fellow Hall of Famer) Eddie Shore.

[5] Following his NHL career, Quackenbush worked as a manufacturer's agent while attending night school at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

[2] In 1967, he became the head coach for Princeton University's men's ice hockey team,[13] a position he would hold for six seasons.

[2] He was still coaching the golf team but decided to accept the additional position and led them to three consecutive Ivy League championships between 1982 and 1984.

[13] He died of pneumonia and complications from Alzheimer's disease on September 12, 1999, at Chandler Hall Hospice in Newtown, Pennsylvania, aged 77.

[13] Quackenbush was an offensive defenceman who carried the puck up the ice,[13] making use of his stick handling, passing skills and ability to read the play.