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).
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