Blashill Is Next To Guide The Red Wings

 

Story by Jacob Holmes

The Detroit Red Wings announced today that Jeff Blashill will be their new head coach. Blashill previously served as an assistant coach with Detroit during the 2011-2012 season under former head coach Mike Babcock.

Blashill began his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant coach at Ferris State University, where he had played as a goaltender from 1994-1998. He remained at Ferris State for three years before accepting an assistant coaching position at Miami University in 2002, where he stayed for six seasons.

In 2008, Blashill was named head coach and general manager of the Indiana Ice, a junior hockey team in the United States League. In Blashill’s first season, the Ice won the Clark Cup in the USHL Championship. In two seasons with the Ice, Blashill attained a record of 72-43.

In 2010, Blashill accepted the position of head coach at Western Michigan University. Under Blashill, Western Michigan had their best season in 15 years with a record of 19-13-10, and made an appearance the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. Blashill left Western Michigan after one season to be an assistant coach with the Red Wings.

In 2012, Blashill was named head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, the top minor league affiliate of the Red Wings. In their first year under Blashill, the Griffins won the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Championship for the first time in franchise history.

This past April, Blashill became the first coach in franchise history to have three 40-win seasons. In three seasons under Blashill, the Griffins had a combined record of 134-71-12-11 and won two Midwest Division titles.

Blashill becomes the 27th head coach in Red Wings’ franchise history.