Blue Jackets intend to hire Mike Babcock as next head coach: Source
Babcock #Babcock
The Columbus Blue Jackets are expected to hire Mike Babcock as their next head coach once his contract with Toronto ends on June 30, a team source not yet authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Athletic on Saturday. TSN’s Darren Dreger was first to report the expected hire. Here’s what you need to know:
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen felt like the organization’s “accepted standards” had eroded sharply during two seasons with Larsen at the helm, so it’s no surprise that they turned to a veteran coach who is known to lead with a firm hand. But it will still be a surprise to many to see Babcock resurface, especially with such a young roster that is miles away from being playoff-caliber.
The Blue Jackets would be wise to expect some backlash among fans, given the way Babcock departed in Toronto. Shortly after he was fired in 2019, reports of emotional and verbal abuse from players he coached in Toronto and Detroit surfaced. — Portzline
Babcock, 60, owns a 700-418-183 career regular-season record with Anaheim, Detroit and Toronto, a .608 points percentage and a 90-74 record in the playoffs. He’s reached the Stanley Cup Final three times — once with Anaheim and twice with Detroit — and earned a 2008 Stanley Cup title with the Red Wings, along with two Olympic gold medals (2010 and 2014 with Canada), an IIHF World Championship (2004 with Canada), an IIHF World Junior Championship (1997 with Canada) and a World Cup gold medal (2017 with Canada).
In Feb. 2021, he was hired as a volunteer head coach at the University of Saskatchewan but stepped down from the role last summer.
Columbus missed the playoffs for a third straight year this season, finishing last in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets hold the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft this month.
(Photo: Len Redkoles / NHLI via Getty Images)
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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