Red Wings Name Houda Assistant Coach

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland announced on Tuesday that the team has hired former Red Wings defenseman Doug Houda as an assistant coach.

Houda joins Detroit after ten years as an assistant with the Boston Bruins. He replaces Tony Granato, who left the Red Wings to take over the program at the University of Wisconsin.

Houda, 49, was selected in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Red Wings in the second round, 28th overall. The Wings traded him to the Hartford Whalers in 1991 but he returned to Detroit for three games in the 1998-99 season.

While Granato had been in charge of the team’s defensemen and penalty killers, Houda’s role with the team was not immediately announced. For his first eight years in Boston, Houda ran the blueline and the power play before switching to just manage the defensemen. It is expected that he would take over Granato’s position.

Head coach Jeff Blashill will have a drastically different staff when the season opens next fall. In addition to Granato’s departure and Houda’s arrival, assistant coach Pat Ferschweiler has been shifted into the press box and will be replaced by an NHL veteran on the bench. As well, longtime goalie coach Jim Bedard will not be brought back, with Grand Rapids Griffins goalie coach Jeff Salajko the leading candidate for his replacement.