Via the Grand Rapids Griffins on Twitter, coach Ben Simon spoke with TheAHL.com’s Patrick Williams regarding his NHL coaching debut earlier this month with the Red Wings:
ON PREPARING TO GO TO DETROIT
“There’s a lot going on… a little anxiety, a little panic, a little excitement. But I knew it wouldn’t be very long-term, and knowing the people up in Detroit ― how prepared that Jeff Blashill is and his staff and what great people they are ― that it was going to be a fun experience, regardless. So those guys were fantastic welcoming [us] up, and it was a good experience.”
ON RECEIVING THE NEWS
“[As a coach] it’s different because you’re not expecting it. You know, that’s not your goal here. I mean, your goal is to always make it to the highest level. But as a coach, you’re really worried about your group and how you’re improving your group on a daily basis.
“So when you get that call, it’s not expected. But you get a little excited, and it’s kind of cool at the end of the day. Not a lot of guys can say they’ve stepped behind an NHL bench. And for me, whether it’s one game or turns into 1,000 games over the course of my life, it was a great experience, [and] to do it for Detroit was pretty cool.”
