Some coaching news today coming up from Ottawa and Detroit. Dave Cameron is awarded the expected contract extension from the Ottawa Senators while Jeff Blash Hill is hired as the new Detroit Red Wings head coach, replacing longtime head coach in Detroit, Mike Babcock.
Dave Cameron awarded a two-year contract extension
The Ottawa Senators rewarded today head coach Dave cameron today, for a job well done by giving a two-year contract extension according to the Ottawa Sun NHL Hockey Writer Bruce Garrioch. He replaced head coach Paul MacLean December 8th, who was fired. MacLean who was fired by general manager was having internal issues with some of his veterans particularly his captain Erik Karlsson. When Cameron took over, the team was 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 11-11-5 record.
Cameron was instrumental in the Ottawa Senators turnaround by changing their style of a more offensive type of game. This change combined with the stellar tenure of goaltender Andrew Hammond resulted in a 32-15-8 record in 55 games. The Senators also secured a seventh place in the Eastern Conference which gave them a playoof spot facing the Montreal canadiens. The Ottawa Senators went to lose in six games but provided great opposition to the Canadiens.
Cameron a rookie NHL head coach, had a baggage of experience prior to his nomination last December. He brought a decade of experience whether it was coaching in the AHL with Binghamton or in the OHL. prior to join the Senators, Cameron was the head coach with their AHL affiliate the Binghamton Senators. He also coached the 2011 Canadian World Junior Championship squad that won silver in Buffalo.
Cameron is seen as a player’s coach with a run and gun offense style of play. He believes in communication with his players, which made a sure bet for this year’s head coaching position with the Senators.
Jeff Blashill to be named Detroit Red Wings new head coach
According to MLive.com and republished today on NHL.com, the Detroit Red Wings will announce next week the hiring of head coach Jeff Blashill to replace the departed Mike Babcock. The website reported that a press conference announcing Blashill as the Red Wings head coach is expected sometimes next week at the Joe Louis Arena.
Blashill will become the second youngest coach in the NHL, one year older than recently hired John Hynes with the New Jersey Devils. He spent three seasons behind the Grand Rapids Griffins bench (the Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate team) and was eliminated last Tuesday in the Conference Finals by the Utica Comets. With the Griffins, Blashill had the opportunity to win the Calder Cup in 2013 and take his team to the playoffs in each of his three seasons with Grand Rapids. Season ending meetings for the Griffins are scheduled on Monday next week. He had a stint with the Red Wings as an assistant coach to Mike babcock prior to his tenure as the head coach of the Griffins. His record lifetime with the Grand Rapids Griffin was 134-71-23.
Ken Holland and Blashill met last month for the position but waited until the Griffin’s season was over to officially announce the hiring. Holland who is presently at the NHL Combine in Buffalo, NY, this week and will be present at the general managers meeting in Chicago early next week. Announcement should be shortly after those meeting in Chicago.
In Blashill, Holland sticks with a coach well aware of the young prospect coming up and the current roster Detroit has, since many of them played with him when they won the Stanley Cup. Blashill will bring the same system that was implemented by Babcock and the Red Wings philosophy of the game. In addition most players already know his coaching style. Blashill was seen as the primary candidate to replace Mike Babcock who became coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 20th, this year.
