It’s official.
He who must not be named now formally and finally bears the title of Blue Jackets head coach nearly a full month after reports surfaced that Mike Babcock was hired to replace Brad Larsen. The decision was announced Saturday, a few hours before the NHL’s window for free agency swung open.
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Babcock, 60, reportedly agreed to a two-contract worth $4 million per year and couldn’t finalize it with a signature until his prior contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs expired Friday. Now it’s time for a coach who sits 12th all-time in wins (700-418-164 and 19 ties) to restart his NHL career after a dubious exit from his previous job in November 2019.
Babcock was fired by the Maple Leafs three-plus years into an eight-year, $50 million contract signed after he left his longest coaching stop with the Detroit Red Wings. It didn’t take long for unsavory anecdotes about his coaching style and personality to emerge from former players in Toronto and Detroit.
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Babcock quickly faded from the NHL spotlight under bullying accusations and didn’t re-emerge until being named head coach of the University of Saskatchewan in May 2021 — a role that was supposed to last two years. Babcock resigned after one season and announced his retirement after bringing his son, Michael, onto the bench at the school as an assistant.
The younger Babcock stayed for one more season before accepting an NHL role with the St. Louis Blues this summer. The elder Babcock, a Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings and two-time Olympic gold medal winner for Canada, is now the Blue Jackets’ new bench boss.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets officially name Mike Babcock head coach
