Jeff Blashill close to signing an extension... Babcock talks starting

[Nightfall 871]

This was the right call by Blash. He could have tried his hand with a struggling franchise as a flavour of the month signing or he can stay and develop himself further and likely inherit a job where he is set up to succeed. I think he wanted to avoid the path Eakins is on perhaps.

Lets also keep in mind when he was an assistant for the Wings a couple years ago, the LGW forum community viewed his move from assistant coach of the wings down to head coach of the Griffins to be a downgrade. Many forum members believed he wasn't ready to coach at any capacity in the NHL. Its amazing how two solid seasons coaching the Griffins, one of which he takes his team to the Calder Cup, erases all bad memories.

Blashill has a family here in Grand Rapids and has interest in staying in Grand Rapids for a while. Yea, he wants to coach in the NHL eventually, but he is also young and realizes that he has a good thing going here.

“I’m a Michigan guy,” said Blashill, who lives in East Grand Rapids with his wife and three children, ages 3 to 8. “My family lives in West Michigan between Big Rapids and Traverse City. My wife is from the Detroit area. I love Grand Rapids. I think it is one of the nicest cities in America.

My bet is that he will stay in Grand Rapids for at least a year if not more. Once the Detroit job opens up, he will slide in there. I also bet that Blashill is now a top paid coach in the AHL if not THE top paid.