Mike Babcock

Last updated
Mike Babcock
Mike Babcock in 2013.jpg
Babcock in January 2013
Born (1963-04-29) April 29, 1963 (age 61)
Manitouwadge, Ontario, Canada
Coached for Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Maple Leafs
National teamFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Coaching career 1991–2023

Mike Babcock (born April 29, 1963) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and former player. He spent parts of eighteen seasons as a head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL), beginning when he was named head coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, whom he led to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. In 2005, Babcock signed with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2008, and helping them to the Stanley Cup playoffs every year during his tenure and setting a record for most wins in Red Wings history. In 2015, he left Detroit to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs, a position he held until he was fired in 2019. During his coaching tenure from 1991 to 2019, Babcock's teams missed the post-season only four times. In 2023, he attempted a return to the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets; however, he resigned in disgrace before the beginning of the 2023–24 season amidst investigations into allegations of misconduct.

Contents

Babcock also gained extensive experience coaching internationally. As of October2024, he is the only coach to gain entry to the Triple Gold Club, winning the Stanley Cup, IIHF World Championships, and coaching an Olympic gold medal-winning team. He guided the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008; he coached Team Canada to gold at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in 2004; and he coached Canada to gold at both the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Babcock is the only coach to win six distinct national or international titles. He also guided Canada to gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the IIHF World Junior Championships in 1997, and he coached the University of Lethbridge to the CIS University Cup in 1994.

Since the end of his tenure with the Maple Leafs, Babcock has been the subject of public criticism from many former players about his professional conduct, including allegations of verbal abuse and mistreatment.

Education and playing career

Mike Babcock playing in the United Kingdom in 1987 as a player-coach for Whitley Warriors. Mike Babcock Player-Coach Whitley Warriors UK 1987 2014-02-23 14-06.jpeg
Mike Babcock playing in the United Kingdom in 1987 as a player-coach for Whitley Warriors.

Babcock was born in Manitouwadge, Ontario, and grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. [1] Babcock played for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1980–81 and spent a season with the Kelowna Wings in 1982–83. In between, he played a year under Dave King at the University of Saskatchewan, and after Kelowna, he transferred to McGill University to play for coach Ken Tyler. In September 1985, Babcock also attended the Vancouver Canucks NHL training camp, and played one exhibition game with the team. [2]

Babcock graduated from McGill in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and also did post-graduate work in sports psychology. In 146 career games with the Redmen, he tallied 22 goals and 85 assists for a total of 107 points and 301 penalty minutes, graduating as the second-highest-scoring defenceman in McGill history. Over four seasons from 1983–84 to 1986–87, he was a two-time all-star defenceman, served as captain, and won the Bobby Bell trophy as team MVP. [3] While at McGill, Babcock joined the Tau Alpha chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

After his time at McGill, Babcock moved to the United Kingdom in 1987 as a player-coach for the Whitley Warriors. The team missed out on the league title by two points. In 49 games, he contributed 45 goals and 127 assists and accumulated 123 penalty minutes.

Coaching career

Babcock is one of four McGill University players to coach an NHL team, joining Lester Patrick with the New York Rangers, George Burnett with the Edmonton Oilers, and Guy Boucher with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators. In 2008, Babcock became the second McGill hockey player to coach a Stanley Cup winner after Patrick.

Babcock has had a distinguished coaching career, coaching continuously from 1987 to 2019, including from 2002 to 2019 in the NHL. When he was fired by the Maple Leafs in 2019, he had amassed an NHL coaching record of 700-418-164-19, with his 700 wins currently placing him 12th all-time in coaching wins, as of 2023. [4]

College, juniors, and minors (1988–2002)

Red Deer College

In 1988, Babcock was appointed head coach at Red Deer College in Alberta. He spent three seasons at the school, winning the provincial collegiate championship and earning coach-of-the-year honours in 1989.

Moose Jaw (WHL)

Babcock moved to the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1991, where he guided the Moose Jaw Warriors for a two-year term. Babcock was fired by the team in 1993 after missing the playoffs and nearly left coaching when he accepted a job in business consulting; however, he was then offered the head coaching position at the University of Lethbridge, and decided to accept. [5]

University of Lethbridge (CIS)

Babcock coached the struggling Lethbridge Pronghorns and helped turn the program around. He earned Canada West coach-of-the-year honours in 1993–94 after guiding Lethbridge to their first-ever appearance in post-season play with a 34–11–3 overall mark and a national CIS Cup title after defeating the Guelph Gryphons 5–2 in the championship final.

Spokane (WHL)

In 1994, Babcock was appointed head coach of the WHL's Spokane Chiefs, with whom he posted a regular-season record of 224–172–29 over six seasons for a .564 winning percentage. He was twice named as the West Division coach of the year, in 1995–1996 and 1999–2000. The team advanced to the final round of the playoffs in 1995–96, a series they lost 4–1 to the Brandon Wheat Kings. The team also participated in the 1998 Memorial Cup by virtue of hosting the tournament; Spokane lost in the semi-final against the Guelph Storm, 2–1 in overtime.

Cincinnati (AHL)

From 2000–01 to 2001–02, Babcock guided the American Hockey League's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks to a 74–59–20–7 record, including a franchise-high 41 wins and 95 points. The team qualified for the playoffs in both years.

NHL (2002–2019)

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (2002–2004)

Babcock was named head coach of the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on May 22, 2002, and through two seasons, guided them to a combined 69–62–19–14 regular season record. In the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Ducks, he posted a 15–6 record, leading the Mighty Ducks to the team's first Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, where they lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils.

Detroit Red Wings (2005–2015)

Babcock as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings in April 2007. MikeBabcock.jpg
Babcock as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings in April 2007.

Following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Babcock declined an offer to remain with the Ducks, and on July 15, 2005, was named head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. In his first three seasons, Babcock led the Red Wings to a combined 162–56–28 regular season record and a 28–18 playoff record. The team won the Presidents' Trophy with the league's best record in 2005–06 and 2007–08. In the 2006 playoffs, the heavily favored Red Wings were upset in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers. The following season, Babcock and the Red Wings were eliminated by his former club, the Anaheim Ducks, in the Western Conference Finals of the 2007 playoffs; the Ducks went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Babcock earned his 200th NHL career win the following season in Detroit's 5–2 victory over the Florida Panthers on December 15, 2007. Babcock was selected to coach the Western Conference at the 2008 All-Star Game. The Red Wings entered the 2008 playoffs as favorites, and dispatched the Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. On June 4, 2008, he led the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup championship, the team's fourth since 1997, by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in game six of the Finals.

Babcock was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award after the season, awarded to the coach who best contributes to his team's success, but ultimately finished third behind Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals and Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens. [6] In June 2008, Babcock signed a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings.

In the 2008–09 season, the Red Wings finished second in the Western Conference and again made the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced a re-match against the Penguins. Although the Wings had home-ice advantage and held a 3–2 series lead after a 5–0 victory at home in game five, the Penguins came back to avenge their loss and defeated Detroit in seven games. With the loss in game seven, Babcock became the first head coach to lose a Stanley Cup Finals series in game seven with two different teams. [7]

In October 2010, Babcock signed a four-year extension with the Red Wings that saw him through to the end of the 2014–15 season. [8] In the 2011 playoffs, Babcock's Red Wings fell behind the San Jose Sharks three games to none in the second round but won three straight to force a seventh game, which the Wings lost 3–2.

On April 8, 2014, Babcock earned his 414th career win as head coach of the Red Wings, surpassing Jack Adams for most wins as coach in team history. [9] Babcock was announced as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for the 2013–14 season, his second nomination, but finished second in voting behind Patrick Roy of the Avalanche. [10]

On December 6, 2014, Babcock earned his 500th career win as a head coach, becoming the second-fastest coach in NHL history to do so; only Hockey Hall of Famer and former Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman reached the 500-win plateau faster. [11]

In 10 seasons with the Wings, Babcock coached the team past the 100-point plateau eight times; however, after their second consecutive trip to the Finals in 2009, the team won only three more playoff series under Babcock and failed to advance past the second round.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2015–2019)

After failing to come to terms on a contract extension with the Red Wings, Babcock received permission to seek employment elsewhere on May 8, 2015. The Buffalo Sabres, who had the best odds at picking first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft for the right to select phenom Connor McDavid, were considered the most serious contenders for Babcock's services, with the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks also being in the mix. [12] However, on May 20, 2015, it was announced that Babcock would become the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. [13] He signed an eight-year contract worth $50 million (an average of $6.25 million per season), making him the highest-paid coach in NHL history by more than double the previous record holder's annual earnings. [14] Before Babcock signed the contract, Todd McLellan of the Edmonton Oilers was the highest-paid coach in the NHL, reportedly earning $3 million per season. [15] The Leafs had failed to make the playoffs in nine of the previous ten seasons, and had not won a playoff series since 2004. The signing of Babcock by general manager Lou Lamoriello was seen as an important move in changing the team's fortunes.

On October 7, 2015, Babcock became the first NHL coach to use the league's newly implemented coach's challenge in a season opener loss against the Montreal Canadiens. [16] Babcock coached his 1,000th NHL game during his first season with the Leafs, on February 4, 2016, against the New Jersey Devils. [17] The Maple Leafs finished last overall that season, compiling a record of 29–42–11 for 69 points. However, the rebuilding team had been expected to do poorly. This season marked the first time Babcock missed the playoffs since 2004 with the Mighty Ducks. The last-place finish gave the Maple Leafs the best odds at winning the draft lottery ahead of the 2016 draft. They were awarded the first selection and picked the coveted centre Auston Matthews. The draft helped to increase expectations for the Leafs, and the 2016–17 season was marked by many high-end rookies making the team, including Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown. Those rookies, along with the addition of goaltender Frederik Andersen, helped the team to qualify for the 2017 playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference, marking a rare occasion where a team goes from last in the league to capture a playoff appearance. [18] Toronto faced the back-to-back Presidents' Trophy winning Washington Capitals in the first round. The Maple Leafs pushed the Capitals to six games—with five games going to overtime, tying an NHL record—before the team was eliminated by the Capitals. [19] Babcock's coaching was praised throughout the playoffs as it was during the regular season, with many lauding his attempts at player development while maintaining a high level of team success. [18] Babcock was nominated for the Jack Adams Award, but once again lost, this time to John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After their rapid turnaround, expectations for the Maple Leafs grew, but despite regular season success having finished as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference in both the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons, the team proved unable to break through in the playoffs, losing seven-game first-round playoff series in back-to-back years to the Boston Bruins in 2018 and 2019.

On November 20, 2019, nearly two months into the 2019–20 season, the Maple Leafs fired Babcock after a six-game losing streak and amidst allegations of a toxic work environment. [20] [21] [22] At the time, the team had a record of 9–10–4 and were outside of the playoffs, despite being projected before the season began to be playoff contenders. This was the first time in Babcock's professional coaching career that he had been fired.

College athletics (2020–2022)

On July 29, 2020, the University of Vermont announced that Babcock would be joining the school's Catamounts ice hockey team as an unpaid assistant coach under head coach Todd Woodcroft. [23] On February 20, 2021, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies announced that Babcock would become the coach of the men's ice hockey team for two seasons starting May 2021 on a volunteer basis. [24] Babcock took the opportunity to coach in his hometown in large part for the chance to coach alongside his son, Michael Jr, who was pursuing a degree at the U of S and joined Mike on the bench as an assistant coach. [5] Despite accepting a position with Saskatchewan, Babcock remained with Vermont until the end of the 2020–21 season. [25]

Babcock opted to resign after one season with the Huskies on August 25, 2022, stating that he wanted to provide an opportunity for a bigger role for the team's assistant coaches. [5] The team had posted a 14–9 record under Babcock. The following day, Babcock announced that he was retiring from coaching. [26]

Columbus Blue Jackets (2023)

On July 1, 2023, Babcock was named the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, his first NHL position since 2019, signing a two-year, $8 million contract to become the highest paid coach in team history. [27] [28] On September 12, ten weeks after being named head coach, allegations of improper behavior surfaced on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, with reports that Babcock had ordered players to show him their cellphone photos as part of a character building exercise. In response to the reports, the NHL and NHLPA both opened investigations into Babcock's behavior. [29] Initial investigations did not find any reports of wrongdoing or discomfort from the players, including general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen, who Babcock had also asked to see photos from. However, as the investigations progressed, it was learned that several players, especially younger members of the roster, were uncomfortable with Babcock's behavior. [30] Shortly after both investigations concluded, the parties contacted the Blue Jackets with their findings, at which point the team determined that there was no path forward where Babcock could coach. After two days of contract settlement negotiations, Babcock announced his resignation as head coach on September 17, before the start of the team's training camp. [31] [32] [33] The team subsequently apologized to their players for hiring Babcock amid fan criticism of the decision, given previous revelations regarding Babcock's perceived toxic coaching methodologies and interactions in both Detroit and Toronto. [28] [34]

International coaching career

In addition to his club coaching roles, Babcock has had a long career coaching with Hockey Canada. He first coached Canada's junior team at the 1997 World Junior Championships in Switzerland, where the country won a fifth consecutive gold medal, defeating the United States 2–0 in the final. Babcock coached Canada's senior team for the first time at the 2004 IIHF World Championships in the Czech Republic, guiding Canada to a second consecutive gold medal with a 5–3 win over Sweden in the final.

On June 24, 2009, Babcock was announced as the head coach of Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. [35] The team finished the round robin with a regulation win over Norway, a shootout win over Switzerland, and a loss to the United States. In the elimination rounds they defeated Germany, Russia, and then Slovakia to advance to the final, where they defeated the United States 3–2 in overtime to win the gold medal. [36] With the win, Babcock became the first coach—and only thus far—in the International Ice Hockey Federation's Triple Gold Club, [37] [38] which he earned through his team's Olympic Gold, World Championship gold, and 2008 Stanley Cup titles. [37] [38] To honour Babcock's entrance into the Triple Gold Club, his hometown of Saskatoon announced that July 17, 2010 would be known as "Mike Babcock Day." [39]

On July 22, 2013, it was announced that Babcock would return as head coach of Team Canada for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. [40] The team finished the round robin with regulation wins over Norway, and Austria, and an overtime win over Finland. In the quarterfinals they defeated Latvia, and in the semifinals, they defeated the United States to advance to the gold medal game, where they defeated Sweden 3–0. [41] With the win, Babcock became only the second head coach to lead one country to a gold medal victory in consecutive Olympic appearances, after Viktor Tikhonov with the Soviet team in 1984 and 1988. [42]

Babcock also coached Canada to victory at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, making him the first and only coach to date to have won the Stanley Cup, World Cup, World Championship, and World Junior Championship, and coach an Olympic gold medal-winning team. [43]

Coaching style

Babcock's teams generally focus on puck possession over physical play and toughness. Babcock emphasized building a team that excelled at puck possession rather than enforcement in Detroit. [44] Babcock's teams consistently had the fewest penalty minutes of any NHL team; [45] from 2005 to 2015, the Red Wings averaged 22 percent fewer penalty minutes than the league average, and 44 percent fewer penalty minutes than the highest league total. [46] [47] [48]

Criticism

Babcock has faced public criticism from a number of former players who allege mistreatment throughout the length of his NHL career. [49] Mike Commodore was among the first to voice public criticism towards Babcock, and has been among his fiercest critics, stemming from Commodore's days in the Mighty Ducks organization. [50] Commodore has alleged that Babcock purposefully held him back in Cincinnati because he did not like him, doing the same thing a decade later with the Red Wings after reassuring Commodore before the season that he would get playing time if he signed with the team. [51] Babcock addressed Commodore's criticisms in March 2021, stating that Commodore was scratched because he did not perform better than other defenders on the 2011–12 Red Wings team—he claimed that he did not recall many interactions with Commodore in Cincinnati—and refuted that Commodore was scratched because of a personal vendetta. [52]

However, numerous other players have also voiced criticism of Babcock for his management style and treatment of players. Johan Franzén, who played for Babcock in Detroit, called him a "terrible man, the worst person I've ever met," and accused Babcock of verbally abusing him during a game in the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Nashville Predators, which was corroborated by former teammate Chris Chelios. [53] On their podcast Spittin' Chiclets , former NHL players Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney described Babcock as "a truly bad person", and his coaching methods as personally-directed psychological abuse. [54] They contrasted Babcock with John Tortorella, another coach who is notoriously tough on his players, by noting that Tortorella's methods are hockey related and he treats his players respectfully when off the ice. [54]

Babcock has been criticized for mistreating both veteran and rookie players alike. He has been accused of scratching players ahead of games of personal significance, such as removing Mike Modano from the lineup before his 1500th game in towards the end of the 2010–11 season in April 2011 without any reasoning behind it, benching Chelios at the 2009 Winter Classic against his hometown team, the Chicago Blackhawks on January 1, 2009, and not playing Jason Spezza in the Maple Leafs' 2019–20 season-opening game on October 3, 2019, without any reasoning against his former team whom Spezza spent the bulk of his career with, the Ottawa Senators with his family and friends in attendance. [55] [56] Jason York has accused Babcock of arbitrarily banning a group of three veteran players from the Mighty Ducks training camp in 2002. [49] Babcock was criticized for mistreating Mitch Marner during the 2016–17 season, his rookie season with the Maple Leafs, asking him in a January 2017 meeting to rank his teammates in order of their work ethic and then sharing the list with other members of the team—Babcock apologized to Marner for the incident. [57] Moreover, Babcock has been accused of verbally abusing arena staff throughout his career. [49]

Although Babcock's coaching acumen has been generally praised as being superior to contemporaries (at times, being seen as the best coach in the sport), [31] the revelations about his treatment of players were seen to have delayed his return to the NHL after he was fired by the Leafs in November 2019. [28] [31] He would not get another NHL job until his hiring by Columbus. Babcock's brief tenure with the Blue Jackets was marked by controversy after it was reported in September 2023 that he had asked players in pre-season meetings to look through photos on their phones. Although the team and captain Boone Jenner initially downplayed the alleged incidents, an investigation by the NHLPA revealed that several members of the Blue Jackets were uncomfortable with Babcock's approach and that in at least one instance, Babcock spent several minutes looking through a player's phone. [58] The controversy resulted in Babcock announcing his resignation before coaching a game for the team. [59]

By the end of his time in Columbus, Babcock's coaching methodologies, personality, and interpersonal interactions had led to him being broadly unpopular among hockey players and several hockey circles. [49] [60] [59]

Personal life

Babcock is of Irish descent through a grandfather. [61] Babcock and his wife, Maureen, have three children. [62] Born in Manitouwadge, Ontario, he spent the majority of his childhood moving around between Northern Ontario, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories, before his family settled in Saskatoon, which he considers his hometown, in 1975. [62] Babcock attended both St. James Elementary School and Holy Cross High School; Babcock is one of the many notable graduates on Holy Cross High School's "Wall of Honour."

Babcock has been an advocate for the Bell Let's Talk campaign, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and other mental health awareness campaigns. [63] In 2017, he became involved with a campaign called Ahead of the Game to raise money for youth mental health in sport. [63]

On November 25, 2013, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by McGill University. [64] He received the same honour from the University of Saskatchewan on June 2, 2016. [65] Babcock was made a member of the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2018. [66]

Head coaching record

WHL

YearTeamWLOT/TFinishPostseason
1991–92 Moose Jaw Warriors 333636th in EastLost East Division quarter-final (PAR)
1992–93 Moose Jaw Warriors274238th in EastDid not qualify
1994–95 Spokane Chiefs 323645th WestLost West Division semi-final (TCA)
1995–96 Spokane Chiefs501841st in WestLost WHL finals (BWK)
1996–97 Spokane Chiefs353343rd in WestLost West Division semi-final (KEL)
1997–98 Spokane Chiefs452342nd in WestLost West Division final (POR)
1998–99 Spokane Chiefs194497th in WestDid not qualify
1999–2000 Spokane Chiefs471961st in WestLost WHL finals (KI)

AHL

YearTeamWLOT/TFinishPostseason
2000–01 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 4126132nd in SouthLost in first round (NOR)
2001–02 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 3333143rd in CentralLost in preliminary round (CHI)

NHL

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishGWLWin%Result
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2002–03 82402796952nd in Pacific 21156.714Lost in Stanley Cup Finals (NJD)
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2003–04 822935108764th in Pacific————Missed playoffs
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim totals16469621914  21156.714 
Detroit Red Wings 2005–06 825816—81241st in Central 624.333Lost in Conference quarterfinals (EDM)
Detroit Red Wings 2006–07 825019—131131st in Central18108.556Lost in Conference finals (ANA)
Detroit Red Wings 2007–08 825421—71151st in Central22166.727Won Stanley Cup (PIT)
Detroit Red Wings 2008–09 825121—101121st in Central23158.652Lost in Stanley Cup Finals (PIT)
Detroit Red Wings 2009–10 824424—141022nd in Central1257.417Lost in Conference semifinals SJS
Detroit Red Wings 2010–11 824725—101041st in Central1174.636Lost in Conference semifinals (SJS)
Detroit Red Wings 2011–12 824828—61023rd in Central514.200Lost in Conference quarterfinals (NSH)
Detroit Red Wings 2012–13 482416—8563rd in Central1477.500Lost in Conference semifinals (CHI)
Detroit Red Wings 2013–14 823928—15934th in Atlantic 514.200Lost in first round (BOS)
Detroit Red Wings 2014–15 824325—141003rd in Atlantic734.429Lost in first round (TBL)
Detroit Red Wings totals786458223—105  1236756.545 
Toronto Maple Leafs 2015–16 822942—11698th in Atlantic————Missed playoffs
Toronto Maple Leafs 2016–17 824027—15954th in Atlantic624.333Lost in first round (WSH)
Toronto Maple Leafs 2017–18 824926—71053rd in Atlantic734.429Lost in first round (BOS)
Toronto Maple Leafs 2018–19 824628—81003rd in Atlantic734.429Lost in first round (BOS)
Toronto Maple Leafs 2019–20 23910—422Fired—————
Toronto Maple Leafs totals351173133—45  20812.400 
NHL totals1,30170041819164  1649074.5491 Stanley Cup
14 playoff appearances

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Todd Andrew McLellan is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2019 to 2024. He previously served as head coach of the San Jose Sharks (2008–2015) and Edmonton Oilers (2015–2018), and as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings (2005–2008), with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2008. He was drafted in 1986 by the New York Islanders and played five games with the major league club in the 1987–88 season before retiring in the minors the following season due to recurring injury.

The history of the Detroit Red Wings begins in 1926, when the franchise began play in the National Hockey League (NHL). The professional ice hockey club was founded as the Detroit Cougars on September 25, 1926, one of three teams to join the NHL in 1926. With the demise of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), the rights to the players of the Victoria Cougars were purchased by a Detroit group led by Charles A. Hughes who kept the name "Cougars" for their NHL club. The new team struggled financially; in 1930, the Cougars changed their name to the Detroit Falcons, and after being bought out of receivership by James E. Norris were renamed as the Detroit Red Wings in 1932. The team played their first game on November 18, 1926, and won their first two Stanley Cup titles in 1936 and 1937. The Red Wings have won the Cup eleven times, more than any other American team in NHL history.

The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals four games to three, being the sixth Cup win in Bruins' franchise history. For the fourth consecutive season, the season started with games in Europe. The 58th All-Star Game was held at RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, home arena of the Carolina Hurricanes, on January 30, 2011.

The 2013–14 NHL season was the 97th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season features a realignment of the league's 30 teams from a six to a four division format. The regular season began October 1, and concluded April 13. The Stanley Cup playoffs began April 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Nylander</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1996)

William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nylander was selected by the Maple Leafs in the first round, eighth overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Born in Canada, Nylander represents Sweden internationally. In the 2017 IIHF World Championship, he won gold and was named the tournament's most valuable player (MVP).

The 2014–15 NHL season was the 98th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Phoenix Coyotes changed their name to the Arizona Coyotes prior to the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Marner</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1997)

Mitchell Marner is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maple Leafs–Red Wings rivalry</span> National Hockey League rivalry

The Maple Leafs–Red Wings rivalry is a National Hockey League (NHL) rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. The rivalry is largely bolstered because of the proximity between the two teams, with Toronto and Detroit approximately 370 kilometres (230 mi) apart, connected by Ontario Highway 401, and a number of shared fans in between the two cities. The teams both compete in the Atlantic Division and with current NHL scheduling, they meet three or four times per season.

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Babcock (B.Ed. (Physical Education) 1986) 25th NHL coach to reach 1,000 game milestone". McGill University. February 15, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ Gatehouse, Jonathon (2015-10-02). "Mike Babcock: 23 men, 23 ways to coach". Maclean's . Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  3. ↑ "Red Wings coach Mike Babcock to receive honorary degree from McGill". Global News. The Canadian Press. 2013-11-14. Archived from the original on 2013-11-16. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  4. ↑ "Head Coach Records". records.nhl.com. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  5. 1 2 3 Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (2023-09-06). "Babcock talks coaching return with Blue Jackets in Q&A with NHL.com". NHL.com. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  6. ↑ "BOUDREAU WINS JACK ADAMS AWARD AS TOP COACH". TSN.ca. June 12, 2008. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  7. ↑ Podell, Ira (June 13, 2009). "Penguin power: Pittsburgh motors away from Detroit with the silver Cup". Salt Lake Deseret News. Associated Press. p. D1. The Penguins...beat the defending champion Detroit Red Wings 2-1...in Game 7 and win the Stanley Cup for the third time...In 2003...the last series in which the home team won all seven games...the Mighty Ducks team that lost then was coached by current Red Wings bench boss Mike Babcock.
  8. ↑ Babcock receives four-year extension NHL.com, October 11, 2010
  9. ↑ Babcock establishes new coaching mark NHL.com, April 9, 2014
  10. ↑ Avalanche's Roy Wins Jack Adams Award NHL.com, June 24, 2014
  11. ↑ Detroit Red Wings' Mike Babcock happy to be second-fastest coach to reach 500 wins MLive.com, December 6, 2014
  12. ↑ Wawrow, John (May 19, 2015). AP source: Babcock in contract talks with Buffalo Sabres. Associated Press. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  13. ↑ Mike Babcock named Maple Leafs head coach
  14. ↑ St. James, Helene (May 20, 2015). "Babcock leaves Red Wings for megacontract with Leafs". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ Mike, Halford (May 21, 2015). "Five years, $15M for McLellan in Edmonton". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  16. ↑ Cleveland, Amy. "Leafs' Mike Babcock wins 1st-ever coach's challenge". CBC. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  17. ↑ "Maple Leafs' Babcock to coach 1,000th NHL game". NHL.com. February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Feschuk, Dave (April 23, 2017). "In the end, Leafs coach was wrong after so much went right: Feschuk". Toronto Star . Torstar . Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  19. ↑ Cotsonika, Nicholas (April 24, 2017). "Future bright for Maple Leafs despite early exit". NHL. National Hockey League . Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Maple Leafs Make Coaching Change". NHL.com. November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Maple Leafs fire head coach Mike Babcock - Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  22. ↑ Kelly, Cathal (2019-12-03). "Mike Babcock's reputation hasn't just taken a hit. It's now a writeoff". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  23. ↑ Ford, Ryan (July 30, 2020). "Vermont coach on hiring ex-Wings coach Mike Babcock: 'The equivalent of a Bill Belichick'". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Babcock to coach USask Huskie men's hockey team". News. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  25. ↑ Hall, Nich (February 21, 2021). "Coach Mike Babcock to Remain with UVM Hockey Through End of 2020-21 Season". Vermont Catamounts . Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Mike Babcock says he's 'retired' from coaching: 'It's time to move on' - Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
  27. ↑ "Columbus Blue Jackets name Mike Babcock ninth head coach in club history". NHL.com. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  28. 1 2 3 Fox, Luke (September 17, 2023). "Blue Jackets' gamble on Mike Babcock backfires, putting team in tough position before camp". Sportsnet . Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Babcock investigation atop agenda as NHL, NHLPA meet". The Sports Network. 2023-09-15. Archived from the original on 2023-09-18. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  30. ↑ Shilton, Kristen (September 12, 2023). "Columbus coach Mike Babcock, players deny invasion of privacy". ESPN . Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  31. 1 2 3 Wyshynski, Greg (September 18, 2023). "Blue Jackets say they 'got it wrong' in hiring Mike Babcock". ESPN . Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Mike Babcock resigns as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets; Club names Pascal Vincent head coach". Columbus Blue Jackets. September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Mike Babcock to resign as Blue Jackets head coach following photo controversy". Sportsnet.ca. September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  34. ↑ Newland, Jason (September 12, 2023). "Mike Babcock accused of going back to his old ways". The Hockey News . Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Babcock named Canada's Olympic team bench boss". National Post. June 25, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  36. ↑ Elliott, Helene (March 1, 2010). "Canada defeats U.S., 3-2, to win gold medal in men's hockey". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
  37. 1 2 "Hockey's exclusive company". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  38. 1 2 Merk, Martin (February 28, 2010). "Triple gold for Eric Staal". IIHF.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2010.
  39. ↑ "Mike Babcock Day announcement". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
  40. ↑ Mike Babcock named head coach of Canada's National Men's Team for 2013-14 season HockeyCanada.com, July 22, 2013
  41. ↑ "Mike Babcock-Led Team Canada Wins Second Consecutive Gold Medal". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  42. ↑ Canada wins second straight gold medal NHL.com, February 23, 2014
  43. ↑ Seravalli, Frank (September 30, 2016). "Babcock says World Cup a 'sign of things to come in Toronto'". TSN. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  44. ↑ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (24 September 2013). "No goons, just good: Red Wings' winning ways fights NHL belief that every team needs enforcer" . Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  45. ↑ Pleiness, Chuck (21 April 2014). "Red Wings focused on play between the whistles". themorningsun.com. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  46. ↑ "Sortable Team Stats (NHL)". hockey-reference.com.
  47. ↑ "Sortable Team Stats (NHL)". ESPN . Archived from the original on April 29, 2015.
  48. ↑ Albergotti, Reed (April 15, 2009). "Why the Red Wings don't fight". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  49. 1 2 3 4 Robson, Dan; Strang, Katie (2024-05-31). "'No one is spared': Tracing Mike Babcock's imperious NHL coaching career". The Athletic . The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  50. ↑ Newland, Jason (2023-06-18). "Former Blue Jacket Mike Commodore speaks out on the potential hiring of Mike Babcock". The Hockey News . Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  51. ↑ "Mike Commodore rips Mike Babcock, claims Columbus coach waived him over jealousy". Yahoo Sports . 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  52. ↑ Janssen, Cam [@CamJanssen25] (March 9, 2021). "Mike Babcock taking about the Mike Commodore situation..." (Tweet). Retrieved April 14, 2023– via Twitter.
  53. ↑ "Former Red Wings Chelios, Franzen accuse Mike Babcock of 'verbal assault'". CBC Sports . 2019-12-02. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  54. 1 2 Bye Bye Babs Featuring Chris Chelios + Kevin Bieksa - Episode 462
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  56. ↑ Johnston, Chris (October 5, 2019). "Maple Leafs' Jason Spezza working way back into Babcock's good graces". Sportsnet . Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
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  61. ↑ 🖉Hornby, Lance. "Irish eyes smile on Maple Leafs | SaltWire". www.saltwire.com.
  62. 1 2 Wolfe, Cory (June 5, 2008). "Dream Come True". The Star Phoenix. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  63. 1 2 Fox, Luke (October 17, 2017). "Maple Leafs' Babcock working to change mental health conversation". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  64. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-02-01. Retrieved 2020-02-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  65. ↑ "Mike Babcock receives honourary degree from University of Saskatchewan". CBC News.
  66. ↑ "Mike Babcock, Danielle Goyette, Ryan Smyth Hockey Canada's 2018 Order of Hockey in Canada Distinguished Honourees". Hockey Canada. January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  67. ↑ "Mike Babcok NHL & WHA Coaching Record". HockeyReference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Head coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
2002–2005		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings
2005–2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs
2015–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets
2023 		Succeeded by
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