DETROIT – Jeff Blashill has been hired by the Detroit Red Wings, ending a fairly un-suspenseful coaching search that began when Mike Babcock left to take over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Blashill has coached Detroit's minor league affiliate in Grand Rapids for the past three seasons, and he was an obvious candidate for the Red Wings once Babcock left. Detroit general manager Ken Holland acknowledged right away that he was going to talk to Blashill about the job, but the Griffins made it to the conference finals in the AHL playoffs. Blashill's promotion was announced Tuesday.
Blashill led Grand Rapids to the Calder Cup in 2013. He says he'd been eyeing the Red Wings' job since it became clear Babcock's future was uncertain.
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