The Detroit Red Wings made some significant changes the day after their season ended by parting ways with head coach Jeff Blashill. Detroit is also not renewing the contracts of assistant coach Dough Houda and goaltending coach Jeff Salajko. General manager Steve Yzerman made the official announcement on Saturday.
The Red Wings wrapped up their season on Friday with a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils and a 32-40-10 overall record for the year. Detroit was 26 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, which marked the sixth consecutive season that team missed the postseason. The last time the Red Wings competed in the playoffs was during their 2015-16 campaign, but even then it was short-lived as they did not make it past the first round.
Blashill, who was given a one-year contract extension last May, registered a 204-261-72 record through his seven years at the helm of Detroit. He was the second-longest tenured coach in the NHL behind Jon Cooper, who has been the Tampa Bay Lightining head coach since 2013. Blashill spent a total of 11 years with the organization, one as an assistant under Mike Babcock and three as coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins -- the American Hockey League affiliate to the Red Wings.
As Detroit looks for a new coaching staff, Blashill's calendar is not quite empty yet. He will be the Team USA assistant coach for the 2022 IIHF Men's World Championship that will take place May 13-29 in Finland.
