GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday announced the hiring of Stephane Julien and Brian Lashoff as assistant coaches of the Grand Rapids Griffins.

“We’re excited to bring back Brian and we welcome Stephane to the Griffins organization. Both men bring a wealth of knowledge that we believe will translate to success in their new roles,” Griffins general manager Shawn Horcoff said. “In 14 seasons as a player in Grand Rapids, Brian established himself as a leader on and off the ice and was a respected voice in the locker room and across the league. Stephane has infused a winning culture to Sherbrooke of the QMJHL in more than a decade behind the bench and has a proven track record of developing young players, which will be a major asset to the Griffins’ coaching staff.”

During the 2022-23 season, Julien was named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Coach of the Year as well as the QMJHL General Manager of the Year when he helped lead the Sherbrooke Phoenix to a Central Division title and a trip to the QMJHL semifinals with a 50-13-3-2 (0.772) regular-season record. Julien also guided Canada’s U18 squad to a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as head coach and earned another gold medal as an assistant for Team Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship.

In 2022, Julien coached Canada’s Black U17 squad to a third-place finish at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He began his national coaching career in 2017 when he served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championship, earning a silver medal.

Julien has spent his entire coaching career with Sherbrooke, serving as an assistant coach from 2012-16 before being named head coach midway through the 2015-16 campaign. The Shawinigan, Quebec, native garnered his first QMJHL Coach of the Year recognition during the 2019-20 campaign when Sherbrooke won the QMJHL regular-season title with a 51-8-3-1 mark (0.841). As head boss, Julien notched a 262-161-24-17 record (0.609) with three division titles and one league championship.

In 2022-23, Tyson Hinds was named the QMJHL Top Defensemen while Ethan Gauthier was named the QMJHL Top Pro Prospect under the guidance of Julien. He also propelled Joshua Roy to the top scorer in the QMJHL during the 2021-22 campaign with 119 points (51-68—119) in 66 games. In total, Julien has served as head coach for three QMJHL First All-Star Team members, four second-team honorees and three honorable mentions.

Julien also served as general manager for Sherbrooke for the past three campaigns (2020-23), accumulating a 104-47-6-6 ledger (0.675). In 2022-23, when he was named the QMJHL General Manager of the Year, Julien acquired goaltender Olivier Adam, forwards Jakub Brabenec and Jacob Melanson, and defenseman Marc-Andre Gaudet. Adam went on to show a 20-3-1 record along with a 2.09 GAA, while the skaters combined for 125 points (41-84—125) in 93 games.

The QMJHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 1994-95 with the Sherbrooke Faucons, Julien was twice named a QMJHL First Team All-Star (1992-93 and 1994-95) and was selected a Second Team All-Star in 1993-94. The 49-year-old went on to collect 667 points (205-462—667) in 775 professional games from 1995-2012, playing the majority of his career overseas in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. He competed in one pro season in the United States with the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL, collecting 38 points (13-25—38) and 91 penalty minutes in 69 outings in 1996-97. He spent the most time in the DEL, the top hockey league in Germany, playing nine seasons and serving as captain for EHC München in the final two campaigns of his pro career from 2010-12.

Lashoff begins his coaching career two months after retiring from professional hockey. The 32-year-old spent all or part of 14 seasons (2008-13; 2014-23) on the Griffins’ blue line, including the last three as the team’s captain, and seven campaigns (2012-15; 2016-20) with the Detroit Red Wings. Lashoff was a key component of Grand Rapids’ Calder Cup championship teams in both 2013 and 2017, joining Nathan Paetsch and Mitch Callahan as the franchise's only two-time cup champions. He served as a playing captain at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, marking his first career all-star nod, and he won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championship.

The Albany, N.Y., native ranks second on the Griffins’ all-time games played list with 628, compiling 132 points (32-100—132) and 329 penalty minutes. He’s one of only four defensemen and 12 skaters to record 100 career assists for Grand Rapids, and only two Griffins blueliners have tallied more than his 132 points (Richards 238, Paetsch 142).

Lashoff has also contributed 20 points (5-15—20) and 34 PIM in 75 playoff games for Grand Rapids, marking the second-most postseason appearances in Griffins history (Paetsch 78). He also ranks among the franchise’s all-time playoff leaders with two unassisted goals (T1st) and one shorthanded goal (T1st).

Lashoff became the 126th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his debut with Detroit on Jan. 21, 2013 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring a goal in the process. The defensemen accumulated 15 points (2-13—15) in 136 regular-season NHL games and logged another eight contests during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Including a three-game stint with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye during his first full pro season in 2010-11, Lashoff played his entire career within the Red Wings organization after making his pro debut with the Griffins in 2008-09 at the age of 18.

“I am very excited and grateful to be joining the staff in Grand Rapids following my playing career,” said Lashoff. “I look forward to helping Dan Watson and the rest of our staff in the continued development of our players while competing at the highest level.

“Staying in hockey was always a priority of mine and I am motivated by the opportunity to be able to work with these players, to help them make the most of their careers,” he added.

After playing junior hockey with Kingston and Barrie of the Ontario Hockey League, the undrafted Lashoff suited up for 767 professional regular-season games and registered 148 points (34-114—148) and 394 PIM.

The Griffins will begin the home portion of their 2023-24 season on Friday, Oct. 13 at Van Andel Arena with Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank. Additional home dates confirmed by the American Hockey League include Dec. 31, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Feb. 24 and March 2.