Red Wings organization introduces a brand new head coach

The Grand Rapids Griffins, who are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, made the call to make a change at the head coaching position after this most recent season and gave Ben Simon his walking papers.

They now have his replacement. Earlier today, the Griffins announced that Dan Watson will be taking over as the 12th head coach in team history. He had previously served as the head coach of Detroit's ECHL affiliate, the Toledo Walleye.

In a statement, Griffins GM and Red Wings assistant GM Shawn Horcoff stated that Watson "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."