Watson looks back on first AHL All-Star experience with pride, gratitude

DETROIT -- Manning the bench for the Central Division at the 2025 American Hockey League All-Star Classic was one of many cool moments this past weekend for Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson, whose wife and three children also took in what he summed up as a very special experience at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif.

“It’s always nice to represent your organization at any stage, any event you can,” Watson told DetroitRedWings.com on Wednesday morning. “It was nice to meet the other coaches that were there and share some talks with them, see how they do things. Met the players, too. It was a great, well-organized event.”

Watson is the first Griffins head coach to achieve the honor since Todd Nelson in 2017 and the fourth bench boss in franchise history to coach in an All-Star Game. The 45-year-old also coached in three ECHL All-Star Classics (2017, 2019 and 2022) with the Toledo Walleye.

“A great experience for myself, obviously I had my family there to share with them,” Watson said. “You never know when you get to do these things. I was fortunate enough to have a couple in the ECHL, but [the AHL] is tough. [The Griffins] did a really good job in the first half to get me there.”

But Watson wasn’t the only one who represented Grand Rapids in Coachella Valley, as goalie Sebastian Cossa and forward Austin Watson also made their first career AHL All-Star appearances.

Cossa, in his second full season with the Griffins, has a 14-8-3 record with a 2.20 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 25 appearances with the Griffins this season.

The 22-year-old netminder notably recorded his first NHL victory during his Red Wings debut in a 6-5 shootout road win over the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 9.

“I’ve known [Cossa] since Day 1, so it’s pretty neat to see his progression and what he’s meant to us,” Watson said. “He’s still a young prospect fine-tuning his game, but he gives us an opportunity to win every time he’s in net. It’s special to see that. For him and his wife to be there and spend that time together, a special moment for them.”

As for Austin Watson, amid his first campaign with Detroit’s AHL-affiliate, the 32-year-old forward ranks second on the team in scoring with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) through 41 games.

“[Austin Watson] had his two girls there with him,” Dan Watson said. “I know they enjoyed the time. What he means to us on the ice -- he’s a physical presence, but he’s also playing some big minutes in every situation. In the room, he holds guys accountable. He’s passionate about the game of hockey, about winning. He wants to win, so he’s creating that culture of making sure guys are competing, battling and doing it the right way. To me, he’s extremely valuable for us as a coaching staff and inside our locker room.”

In 2023-24, his first season as head coach, Watson guided the Griffins to a second-place finish in the Central Division with a 37-23-8-4 record (86 points). Clinching a Calder Cup Playoffs spot for the first time since 2019, Grand Rapids took down the Rockford IceHogs in the Central Division Semifinals before falling to the Milwaukee Admirals in the Central Division Final.

“The first year, you’re figuring everything out,” Watson said. “You’re seeing how the game is played at the American-League level, seeing how teams in your division play and how coaches coach. I was in that spot for a lot of years. I was somewhat my own boss on the hockey side of things, so it’s great to have Shawn [Horcoff], Steve [Yzerman], Dan [Cleary] and all those guys around to give their perspective on the game. Last year was really a great learning experience.”

All that learning is paying off for Watson, who said he feels a lot more comfortable this season.

“Over the summertime, just fine-tuned some coaching skills like accountability and leadership,” he said. “All those things I think I’ve grown in and now just expect more out of our guys. I expect more out of myself and our staff, just how to handle these players. They’re really one step from stepping foot on NHL ice and realizing their dream or getting back to the NHL.”

Watching homegrown players like Simon Edvinsson, Marco Kasper, Albert Johansson, Elmer Soderblom and even Dominik Shine – who made his NHL debut on Jan. 28 – contribute to the Red Wings’ recent success has also been exciting for Watson.

He said helping develop the organization’s young talent and seeing their hard work pay off at the NHL level has him “smiling ear to ear” because “that’s what it’s all about.”

“To have all those guys that were in Grand Rapids last year and part of this year, that’s our job is to make sure when they get called up, they can make some sort of impact and can fill a role that Detroit needs to have success,” Watson said. “The fact that these guys are going up there, it looks like a seamless transition, they’re all working extremely hard, that’s very impressive.”

The Griffins are also benefiting from the professional strides Watson and his coaching staff have made, as the club entered last Friday’s AHL All-Star break with the best record (25-14-3-1; 54 points) in the Central Division.

“We have to make sure we don’t take our foot off the gas pedal,” Watson said. “We know it’s going to be a sprint here to the end. It’s going to be a big second half not only for us as a staff, but for our players and young guys to continue to develop and work within a winning environment. Our older, experienced guys and leadership group must drive that train.”

And as Watson works to keep his focus on the tracks ahead, he’s eager to strengthen his relationships with Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan and assistant coach Trent Yawney.

“Some of the things they’re focusing on I now see translating onto the ice,” Watson said. “My relationship with Todd will continue to grow as we continue to talk. Like he mentioned in one of his press conferences, it’s going to be an ongoing process. It’s probably going to be more in the summertime, whether it’s Development Camp or talking about systems and structure working into next year. I know that right now, he’s focused on Detroit heading in the right direction. We’re heading in the right direction, and I’m looking forward to that relationship growing.”