Flint Firebirds name Ryan Oulahen head coach

The restructuring of the OHL's Flint Firebirds is essentially complete.

The junior club hired Ryan Oulahen as its new head coach Friday, adding former Philadelphia Flyers forward Eric Wellwood as assistant coach.

“Today’s announcement is a further piece in putting together a strong hockey operations staff for the Flint Firebirds,” OHL commissioner David Branch said in a statement.

“Their combined knowledge and experience will help develop the Flint Firebird players both on and off the ice.”

The organization was overhauled by the league after owner Rolf Nilsen was suspended and forbidden from conducting team business for five years last month.

Nilsen fired his previous coaching staff twice last season, reportedly as part of a dispute over his son's ice time.

Longtime junior coach and executive George Burnett was appointed general manager of the Firebirds earlier this week.

Oulahen spent the last six years as the lead assistant coach of the OHL's North Bay (nee Brampton) Battalion. Wellwood was an assistant with the Oshawa Generals for the last two seasons, serving behind the bench for the 2015 Memorial Cup champions.