The Detroit Red Wings announced Wednesday that Dan Watson has been named the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' AHL affiliate.
Watson is the 12th coach in franchise history and was previously the head coach of the ECHL's Toledo Walleye for six seasons.
“I’m thrilled to announce Dan as the head coach of the Griffins,” Griffins GM and Red Wings assistant GM Shawn Horcoff said in a statement. “He established a tremendous winning culture during his six years as head coach in Toledo through his work ethic, communication skills, and the relationships he built with his players. Dan’s passion for player development and familiarity with the Red Wings organization will be vital assets, and we’re confident his experience will lead to the continued growth of our players in Grand Rapids.”
The 43-year-old guided the Walleye to a 45-19-5-3 record last season and reached the Western Conference Finals. He's been with the Red Wings organization for the past 14 seasons.
A Glencoe, Ontario native, he has a 272-112-22-13 record during the regular season and a 51-34 record over the playoffs. He was the fastest coach in EHCL history to reach 100 wins.
“I am extremely excited and honored to become the next head coach of the Griffins,” Watson said in a statement. “I look forward to getting the privilege of working with each player to make them better while creating a positive work environment. This is a very important time in the Red Wings organization and a big challenge. We will work hard to put a competitive team on the ice that the fans can be proud of.”
