Watson takes stock of Griffins’ 2024-25 season, turns page to summer

GRAND RAPIDS -- The experiences gained and subsequent growth of several talented prospects were two of head coach Dan Watson’s biggest takeaways from the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 2024-25 season, which unfortunately ended last Friday when the Texas Stars completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Red Wings’ American Hockey League affiliate in the Central Division Semifinals of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.

“We started the regular season off really strong, then ran into some injury issues and callups [to Detroit],” Watson recently told DetroitRedWings.com. “But we want those [callup] guys to have success, so we dealt with some roster changes. I think that gave our young guys an opportunity to play bigger minutes. They developed quicker because they played those big minutes. And toward the end of the regular season, I liked the way we were competing. That was big because our message was that we must compete hard to win games. I thought our guys did that.”

The Griffins made the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second straight season under Watson, compiling a 37-29-4-2 (80 points) record and finishing third in the Central Division. Watson is the sixth bench boss in franchise history to qualify for the postseason in both of his first two full campaigns as head coach, joining Bruce Cassidy (2000-02), Danton Cole (2002-04), Greg Ireland (2005-07), Jeff Blashill (2012-14) and Todd Nelson (2015-17).

Watson, who was also behind the bench for the Central Division at this year’s AHL All-Star Classic, said guiding the Griffins over the past two seasons has helped him grow as a head coach.

“It’s been great,” Watson said of his time in Grand Rapids. “You’re dealing with guys who played, want to get to and stay in the NHL. You’re also dealing with guys who are coming down from the NHL. All the relationships you build, the way you talk to people, the way you manage people and the way you help people – that’s all part of the natural progression that leaders take. I’m no different than that.”

Like Watson, also finishing their second full campaign in their respective roles with the Griffins were assistant coaches Steph Julien and Brian Lashoff as well as goaltending development coach Roope Koistinen.

“It’s important to have those guys around,” Watson said. “They have their experience and they share their knowledge, but that goes for both the coaching staff and players. We need our young guys to learn and feel what it’s like to go through not only hard games, but hard times.”

Watson is very development-oriented, and that was evident when he touched on forward prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and defense prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka, both of whom Detroit reassigned from the Swedish Hockey League’s Skellefteå AIK to Grand Rapids on April 15.

“A lot of transition for them coming right in and stepping in,” Watson said about Detroit's pair of former first-round picks. "It hasn’t been easy for them in terms of play, but they’re getting better. They fit our group. There’s a transition of quicker, faster, smaller and tighter areas. I think they’re still transitioning to that…We try to put them in spots during practice when it’s small-area games and when there’s a lot of pressure on them, so they have to make the quick plays. They’ve both acclimated well to that.”

As Watson navigates the offseason months, he said one of his main priorities will be continuing to build his relationship with Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan.

“We want to ensure we understand what [McLellan] wants and expects from us as a staff, but also how he’s going to coach, his direction with the Red Wings and what that looks like,” Watson said. “That could mean responsibilities throughout the summertime if he wants us to work on projects for him, like what Training Camp might look like next year. It’s all new to us. So, that’s an exciting part of summer – learning under someone new and hearing what advice he has. I’m looking forward to that and I know our whole staff is too.”