Detroit (AFP) - Jeff Blashill was hired to replace Mike Babcock as coach of the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, becoming the first American to ever coach the National Hockey League club.
The 41-year-old Blashill has big shoes to fill in Detroit as he replaces Canadian Olympic gold medal winning coach Babcock who left to sign an eight-year, $50 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"He really was the only candidate. I didn't talk to anybody," said general manager Ken Holland, who hired Babcock to coach the Wings in 2005.
Blashill had been the head coach of the Red Wings' American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapid Griffins, so he has coached many of the players on the Wings' current roster.