Jeff Blashill lands his next NHL coaching job

This just in, the Tampa Bay Lightning have hired former Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill as an assistant coach under Jon Cooper.

From the Lightning's official press release announcement:

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning have hired Jeff Blashill as assistant coach, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. On Jon Cooper's staff, Blashill joins assistant coaches Jeff Halpern and Rob Zettler along with goaltender coach Frantz Jean and video coaches Nigel Kirwan and Brian Garlock. 

Blashill, of course, was dismissed by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman earlier this offseason after a decade in the organization. Blashill led the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins to a Calder Cup championship in his first year with the team back in 2012-13 and had been the Red Wings' head coach from 2015-16 until this offseason. While the team struggled under Blashill, most fans and analysts attribute that to the team's roster makeup rather than Blashill's coaching. The fact of the matter is that the Red Wings have been undergoing a massive rebuild for years now and Blashill was put in a very difficult situation. He now moves from a tough spot in Detroit to an absolutely plum position as assistant coach of arguably the NHL's best team. Oh... and that Florida sunshine ain't too bad, either. Congrats, Jeff... all the best in Tampa.