Babcock hired as Blue Jackets coach, replaces Larsen Gets 2-year deal, will guide NHL team for 1st time since being fired by Maple Leafs in 2019

The 60-year-old replaces Brad Larsen, who was fired April 15, and will coach in the NHL for the first time since the 2019-20 season. He received a two-year contract which runs through the 2024-25 season.

“Our goal at the outset of this process was to find a coach to give our players the best chance to succeed through structure, discipline and experience as we continue to build a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup championship,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. “After a very thorough and lengthy process we are pleased to welcome Mike Babcock as the next head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.”

Babcock, who was fired as Toronto Maple Leafs coach Nov. 20, 2019, last coached at the University of Saskatchewan on a full-time volunteer basis for two seasons before resigning Aug. 25, 2022. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native told CKOM 680 in Saskatoon five days later he was retiring from coaching.

Saskatchewan was 14-9 under Babcock last season, losing to Calgary in the 2022 Canada West quarterfinals.

Babcock’s 700 wins (700-418-164 with 19 ties) rank 12th in NHL history. He has coached 1,301 games (16th) in 17 seasons for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Babcock is 90-74 in 164 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including winning the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008 and guiding the Mighty Ducks (2003) and Red Wings (2009) to the Stanley Cup Final.

“We are committed to building a Stanley Cup champion and doing it the right way through hard work, pride, professionalism and respect,” president of hockey operations John Davidson said. “We had extensive conversations internally, with numerous people around our league, with Mike during the interview process, and with players in our leadership group, and we believe we have found the right coach in Mike Babcock.”

After Babcock was fired by the Maple Leafs, he worked as an analyst for NBC Sports and was a volunteer coach at the University of Vermont. He has coached Canada to five tournament championships: the 2016 World Cup of Hockey; the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2014 Sochi Olympics; the 2004 IIHF World Championship; and the 1997 IIHF World Junior Championship.

“I’d like to thank my family for their support as well as the ownership group led by the McConnell family, (president and alternate governor) Mike Priest, ‘JD” and Jarmo for giving me the opportunity to come here,” said Babcock. “This is a terrific city with strong ownership, a great management team, talented players, world-class facilities and a dedicated, passionate fan base, and I couldn’t be more excited to be the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.”

The Blue Jackets upgraded at defenseman by trading for Ivan Provorov in a three-team deal with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings on June 6. Three days later, they acquired Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils and signed him to an eight-year, $50 million contract. Columbus also selected forward Adam Fantilli with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Blue Jackets went 25-48-9 last season, last in the Eastern Conference and 31st in the NHL, ahead of only the Ducks, despite signing forward Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year contract and restricted free agent forward Patrik Laine to a four-year contract. They missed the playoffs for the third straight season following four consecutive appearances.

Gaudreau led the Blue Jackets with 74 points (21 goals, 53 assists) and Laine was second with 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists). However, Columbus had more than 550 man-games lost to injury, including defenseman Zach Werenski, who was limited to 13 games. The Blue Jackets were 30th in the NHL in goals per game (2.60) and 31st in goals-against (4.01).

The Washington Capitals hired Spencer Carbery on May 30 and the Nashville Predators named Andrew Brunette coach the next day. Greg Cronin was hired by the Ducks on June 5 and Ryan Huska by the Calgary Flames on June 12. The New York Rangers named Peter Laviolette coach June 13.