"I've always had in the back of my mind that coming back home and working for the Red Wings and being a part of the Red Wings organization was something I wanted to do," Bylsma, a Michigan native, said. "It's a ways away from where I've always lived in Michigan (Grand Haven), but I've been around the Red Wings family and the Red Wings fans for a long, long time.
"I've already gotten a lot of love and support from people in the area saying, 'Welcome home,' and 'Welcome to the Red Wings.' It is a big aspect of my decision to join Jeff and join the Red Wings."
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said he was looking for an assistant with NHL coaching experience, someone who could run the power play, work to further the development of young forwards, and be a sounding board.
"He's a head coach all day long, but I just look at it as having as many good coaches as you can," Blashill said of Bylsma. "The more minds you have that I think are intelligent hockey minds that are passionate, the better off you're going to be."
Bylsma was an assistant to Blashill coaching the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, where it won the bronze medal.