from Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now,
Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon said former NHL coach Gene Ubriaco used to say that hockey “was a great game, and a crappy business.”
Only Ubriaco used a stronger word than crappy.
Simon thought about that saying when he heard Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill was fired.
“I learned a lot about coaching from Jeff just throughout the years,” Simon said. “What I learned that’s way more important is just how he treated people. He’s a fantastic human being. He treats people – whether you’re the janitor, whether you’re the head coach of another NHL team coming in, whether you’re a minor league coach – he treats you with the utmost respect,makes you feel like you belong.