Red Wings name Babcock’s replacement

Michigan native Jeff Blashill became the 27th head coach of the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, and the first American coach in franchise history.

Mike Babcock, who had one year left on his contract, left to take a $50-million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Blashill, 41, joined the organization in 2011-12 spending one season behind the Red Wings’ bench as an assistant coach before being named head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s American Hockey League affiliate in June 2012.

Blashill led Grand Rapids to three of the most successful campaigns in franchise history, highlighted by a 2012-13 regular-season Midwest Division title and the first Calder Cup championship in the franchise’s 17-year history. In 2014-15, the Griffins won the Midwest Division after reaching 100 points for the first time during Blashill’s tenure. The club advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three seasons before falling to the Utica Comets.

Blashill was born in Detroit and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

At Grand Rapids, he was 134-71-12-11 in the regular season and a 29-21 mark in the postseason, winning seven of nine total playoff series. He is the only coach in Griffins history to qualify for the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.

Eleven current Red Wings were also regulars in 2011-12, which Blashill spent as an assistant coach in Detroit, helping the team to a 12th consecutive 100-point season.