Red Wings Hire Tom Renney As New Assistant Coach

The Detroit Red Wings have filled the vacancy on their coaching staff with Tom Renney, according to the team's official Twitter account.

The Red Wings have hired former EDM/NYR/VAN bench boss Tom Renney as an associate coach. Renney, 57, has signed a 3-year deal with the club.

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 5, 2012

A spot on the coaching staff opened up last week when assistant Jeff Blashill was named the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' AHL affiliate. Blashill was hired to replace Curt Fraser, who took a job a week earlier as an assistant with the Dallas Stars.

Blashill's replacement is a coach with quite a bit of experience. Renney has been a head coach for three different teams in his career, as mentioned in the above tweet. He was the Vancouver Canucks' coach for the entire 1996-97 season and was fired 19 games into the following season. With the New York Rangers, Renney was with the team as a head coach from the 2003-04 season through the 2008-09 season. Most recently, Renney spent the past two seasons coaching the Edmonton Oilers. His contract wasn't renewed after this past season.

For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.

Chris Chelios Not Pursuing Red Wings Assistant Job

In the search for a new assistant coach, the Detroit Red Wings have had a lot of potential candidates thrown about. A lot of former Detroit players are obviously in the mix, with Chris Chelios being a favorite name put out since the job opened on Monday.

According to MLive.com though, Chelios will not be pursuing the open assistant job:

"I hope to find a position like that in my future, but right now I’m content with having that freedom of going to see my sons play,'' Chelios said. "I think I’m two years away from actually taking a full-time job again.''

The 50 year old former Wing is currently an advisor with the team. He could perhaps get a job later on in his career with the Wings in a coaching capacity when another opening comes around. The search for a new assistant coach will continue without Chelios as a candidate, but the Wings have no shortage of former greats to look at past him.

For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.

Red Wings Announce List Of Assistant Coach Candidates

After announcing that Jeff Blashill would take over the Detroit Red Wings farm team in Grand Rapids, the team is in need of a new assistant coach. General manger Ken Holland told MLive.com just who was being considered.

Only two names from outside the organization are being considered: Mike Haviland and Bob Boughner.

Former players in the organization that Holland might reach out to are Chris Chelios, Kris Draper, Chris Osgood, Kirk Maltby and Jiri Fischer.

"We're not sure if we want a defenseman who's played the game or (someone) on staff who's got coaching experience,'' Holland said. " Mike (coach Babcock) is talking to a few people. We want to make sure we're not missing anybody. Mike wants to take a few more days.''

Jim Park, who is an assistant coach with Grand Rapids, is also being considered.

For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.

Jeff Blashill Named Head Coach Of AHL Griffins

On Monday afternoon, the Detroit Red Wings announced via the team's official Twitter account that assistant head coach Jeff Blashill has been named the head coach of the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

BREAKING: Jeff Blashill has been named the head coach of @griffinshockey.

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 25, 2012

Blashill joined the Red Wings' staff prior to the 2011-12 season following stints as a head coach at Western Michigan University (2010-11) and as the head man of the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League (2008-10) where he also acted as the club's general manager.

He will be filling in for Curt Fraser, who left the Griffins for an opportunity to join Glen Gulutzan's coaching staff with the Dallas Stars. Blashill will have large shoes to fill as Fraser is the all-time winningest coach in the history of the Grand Rapids franchise (146-130-40 record over four seasons).

For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.

Grand Rapids Griffins Head Coach Curt Fraser Leaves For Dallas Stars