Just over a decade ago, former Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock accepted an offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs to become the highest-paid coach in NHL history at the time, ending a Detroit tenure that included the 2008 Stanley Cup championship, multiple Presidents’ Trophy wins, and several Central Division titles.
The Red Wings quickly filled the vacancy by promoting Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill. Blashill appeared to be the ideal successor to Babcock, having coached many of Detroit’s then-current players during their time in Grand Rapids.
Two seasons earlier, he had also led the Griffins to a Calder Cup championship.
While Blashill guided the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in 2015-16, it remains their most recent postseason berth.
He and the team soon found themselves at the start of a difficult rebuilding process, highlighted by the painful 2019-20 season in which Detroit posted the worst record of any NHL franchise since the expansion Atlanta Thrashers in 1999-2000.
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After compiling a 204-261-72 record over seven seasons as head coach, Jeff Blashill was informed he would not be returning following the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign.
He soon joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach under close friend Jon Cooper, a role he held for three seasons before accepting the head coaching position with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this summer.
Much like the Red Wings during Blashill’s tenure, the Blackhawks are in the midst of a difficult rebuild and have not advanced beyond the regular season since 2017.
Blashill recently made a guest appearance on the Ozzy and Keats podcast, hosted by newly retired Bally Sports Detroit anchor John Keating and former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood, where he discussed his excitement about joining the Blackhawks while also reflecting on his time in Detroit.
"I'm really excited, to be honest with you," he said of taking over the role of Blackhawks head coach. "I said it kind of as we werew going in the process into my press conference that every job in the NHL is a great job, and this one seemed for a couple reasons why it was kind of the one I wanted the most."
"In Detroit, we were obviously in the midst of a rebuild, but I learned a ton through that experience."
Blashill was asked by Keating if there was any surprise on his part when he was informed by Yzerman in 2022 that he wouldn't be back for an eighth season behind the bench. While Blashill admitted that he could sense a change in direction was coming, it was still a sobering reality to experience.
"For Sure": Alex DeBrincat Says Red Wings Have Pieces In Place For Postseason Run While the Detroit Red Wings ultimately missed out on qualifying for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one of the positives that they took with them into the offseason was the return to form of goal-scoring forward Alex DeBrincat.
"To say I didn't see it coming at all would be a lie," Blashill said. "I think when I got the call from Steve (Yzerman) after our last game to meet him the next day, I realized that was probably what was coming. It's probably a bigger gut punch than I thought it was going to be, you think you're tough and you can handle whatever, but when it happens, you have to face failure in essence. That's never an easy thing to do."
"We didn't win enough, but that's part of being in a rebuild, that's the reality of it," he continued. "There are hard things to go through. What I did do was able to learn a ton – was it hard? Yeah, it's hard on you and your family."
That being said, Blashill looked back on his time with the organization with nothing but fondness, especially considering the fact that he grew up rooting for the Red Wings as a native Detroiter.
"You think about how lucky I was," he said. "One, I got to coach my hometown team, and I'll never forget driving in the night before my press conference and driving through downtown Detroit. I was born in Detroit and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie , but the Red Wings were my team the whole time, that was the team I cheered for."
"I think I got a chance to close Joe Louis Arena and a chance to open Little Caesars Arena, that's a cool, cool thing to be able to sit back and think about. But I probably didn't enjoy it enough at the time."
With the Blackhawks, Blashill reunites with former Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who is entering the second year of the four-year contract he signed last offseason.
In addition to coaching 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard, Blashill will also oversee the continued development of Michigan native Frank Nazar, who played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth as well as the University of Michigan.
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