Salajko should make easy transition

DETROIT – Last week, Jeff Blashill called him the ‘lead candidate’ in the search for the next Red Wings’ goaltending coach.

On Tuesday, Blashill signed his top contender, promoting Jeff Salajko from AHL Grand Rapids, where the two coached together for two seasons.

The familiarity that Salajko has with the franchise’s goalies – and them of him – should make the transition from Grand Rapids to Detroit smoother than had the team decided on an outside hire.

“I saw first hand his ability to work with Petr Mrazek, his ability to help Jared Coreau and Tommy McCollum get better,” Blashill said. “He’s got a relationship with Jimmy Howard, so for me he hit everything that I was looking for and I thought it was a real good fit.”

The 41-year-old Salajko spent the past three seasons working with the club’s minor-league goalies. He’s now the fifth goaltending coach in Wings’ history. The others were Dave Dryden (1983-87), Phil Myre (1989-93), Dave Prior (1993-94) and Jim Bedard (1997-2016).

In his role with the Griffins, Salajko helped develop goalie prospects in both Grand Rapids and Toledo (ECHL), working with Mrazek, McCollum, Coreau and Jake Paterson. All but Coreau were drafted by the Red Wings.

“He has similar beliefs in what I do in terms of how to train goaltenders in their habits and using simple drills to create good habits, which allows a goaltender to play without thinking and rely on those habits,” Blashill said. “It’s that approach that he takes which is similar to my beliefs in coaching and I think it’s the most successful ways to help goaltenders get better.”

Salajko is now be tasked with helping Mrazek return to the form he had through the first 3 ½ months of last season. At one point, Mrazek led all league goalies in goals-against average and save percentage only to finish the season far off the NHL …

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