— Missing the Stanley Cup playoffs can come with some award, for coaches and players in the NHL, and Jeff Blashill got a big appointment Tuesday that will provide a valuable experience for the second-year Red Wings coach.
USA Hockey named Blashill head coach of the 2017 U.S. Men’s National Team for the International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship, May 5-21 in Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France.
After compiling a 33-36-13 record and the Wings missing the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, Blashill now will experience the quick preparation required for a team of United States-born NHL players from other teams that did not qualify for the playoffs and teams eliminated in the first round.