Babcock, who was dismissed as head coach of the Maple Leafs in November of 2019, signed an eight-year, $50 million contract back in 2015.
Babcock, who was dismissed as head coach of the Maple Leafs in November of 2019, signed an eight-year, $50 million contract back in 2015.
Mike Babcock is seemingly set to return behind an NHL bench.
According to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, Babcock is set to become the new head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in July when his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs finally expires.
Babcock became head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in May of 2015 after departing the Detroit Red Wings organization. He signed an eight-year, $50 million in what was a record deal for an NHL head coach at the time. In five seasons with Toronto, Babcock coached the club to a 173-133-45 record before he was replaced by current Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe.
A Stanley Cup winner with the Red Wings in 2008, Babcock remained under contract and reportedly interviewed with the Washington Capitals for their head coaching position back in 2020. But it's believed the Maple Leafs wouldn't have released him from his contract without another club coming close to the $6.25 million per year he was making on an average year basis. Babcock will be free and clear of any obligation to the Leafs on July 1, 2023.
At the world level, Babcock is the only coach to gain entry to the Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup title, IIHF World Championship title, and Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey). He led Team Canada to gold at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in 2004 and he led Team Canada to gold at both the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Blue Jackets fired their previous head coach — Brad Larsen — at the end of the 2022-23 season following a year in which they finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 25-48-9 record.
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