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The Flint Firebirds have hired Ryan Oulahen as the new head coach and Eric Wellwood as its assistant.

(OHL Images )

Newly-hired Flint Firebirds coach Ryan Oulahen is a former Detroit Red Wings draft pick.

FLINT, MI - The wait is over.

A brand new coaching staff will take over the Flint Firebirds franchise for the team's second season.

Former Detroit Red Wings draft pick Ryan Oulahen (pronounced Oh-Luh-Han) has been hired as head coach. His assistant will be former Philadelphia Flyers player Eric Wellwood.

The Ontario Hockey League announced the news on Friday morning.

"Today's announcement is a further piece in putting together a strong hockey operations staff for the Flint Firebirds," said OHL commissioner David Branch. "Their combined knowledge and experience will help develop the Flint Firebird players both on and off the ice."

Oulahen,31, spent the last six years as an assistant coach of the OHL's Brampton/North Bay Battalion.

He also suited up for the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins -- a Red Wings affiliate.

Wellwood, 26, spent time in the NHL and OHL. He won two Memorial Cups throughout his playing career. For the past two seasons he has worked as an assistant coach for the Oshawa Generals.

The Firebirds failed to reach the playoffs in their inaugural OHL season. Much controversy also surrounded the franchise as they went through three head coaches.

Former Firebirds coach John Gruden and assistant coach Dave Karpa were fired twice in the same season. Owner Rolf Nilsen then appointed Sergei Kharin, who was later suspended.

The OHL ultimately decided to finish the season with Joe Stefan as the interim coach but now Oulahen and Wellwood have been hired to run the show.

Nilsen was also suspended five years and fined $250,000 for making decisions that Branch described as "contrary to the best interests of the players, the Team, and the OHL."

Stefan won't be completely out of the picture, though. He has agreed to take over as assistant general manager and director of player development.

George Burnett was hired as the new general manager of Firebirds on Tuesday.

"Ryan and Eric are both young yet experienced, bringing tremendous enthusiasm, leadership and a strong foundation in junior hockey to the Firebirds' bench," Burnett said. "My role is to support Ryan and Eric as they lead our group of current and prospective players in delivering an exciting brand of junior hockey to Genesee County in the 2016-17 season and beyond."

With the fifth overall pick of the 2016 OHL Draft, the team picked Ty Dellandrea in April. He scored 35 goals in 35 games last season with the Central Ontario Wolves Midget Minor AAA hockey team.

Despite all of last season's drama, Dellandrea said he is excited to join the team.

"It is truly an honor to be selected 5th overall by the Flint Firebirds," Dellandrea said after the draft. "I have full confidence in the Flint organization and the changes that they are making will lead to much success. To all the Flint fans and supporters, I am really looking forward to what is to come."