The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially announced the appointment of Mike Babcock as their new head coach. Babcock, who previously coached the Toronto Maple Leafs, has signed a two-year contract with the team.
This will be Babcock’s fourth NHL team, and he takes over from Brad Larsen. The Blue Jackets had a challenging season last year, finishing in the 31st position with a record of 25-48-9. In a statement, Babcock expressed his excitement about the opportunity to work for a franchise that has all the necessary resources to succeed.
Reflecting on his appointment, Babcock said, “I want to thank my family for their support and the ownership group, led by the McConnell family, Mike Priest, JD, and Jarmo, for giving me this opportunity. Columbus is a fantastic city with strong ownership, a great management team, talented players, world-class facilities, and a dedicated, passionate fan base. I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.”
Babcock began his head coaching career with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2002. In his first year with the team, he led them to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final. After two years in Anaheim, Babcock became the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.
During his ten seasons with the Red Wings, Babcock guided the team to the playoffs every year. Under his leadership, they won the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2009. In 2015, Babcock joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as the head coach.
However, the Maple Leafs never made it past the first round of the playoffs under Babcock’s guidance, and he was ultimately fired early in the 2019-20 season. Babcock brings an impressive all-time record of 700-418-19-164 to the Blue Jackets.
Since his departure from the Maple Leafs, Babcock has not coached in the NHL. He has also faced criticism from former players regarding alleged mistreatment in the past. In the official announcement by the Blue Jackets, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen stated that the team conducted a thorough hiring process before selecting Babcock as the head coach.
Kekalainen said, “Our objective from the beginning of this process was to find a coach who would give our players the best chance to succeed by providing structure, discipline, and experience. We are focused on building a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup championship. After an extensive and comprehensive process, we are delighted to welcome Mike Babcock as the next head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.”
Former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore has criticized Babcock’s coaching style, and former Red Wings forward Johan Franzen accused Babcock of verbal abuse. Chris Chelios, a Hall of Fame defenseman, supported Franzen’s claims about the incidents.
During his time in Toronto, Babcock reportedly asked star forward Mitch Marner to rank his teammates based on their work ethic during his rookie season.
