According to TSN, the Columbus Blue Jackets will hire Mike Babcock, to be their next head coach. Babcock will fill the void left when the team fired Brad Larsen in April. Larsen coached Columbus for the past two seasons missing the playoffs each year.

The Blue Jackets we’re looking for a new voice, a voice with experience, a voice that had won in the NHL. Babcock fits that description. He has coached in over 1,300 games and has 700 wins.

Babcock in 2008 won the Stanley Cup, while coaching the Detroit Red Wings and won a conference championship in 2003 behind the bench in Anaheim. Babcock also coached Team Canada to gold in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.

Babcock’s last coaching stint was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He signed an eight-year contract but was fired in November 2019 after 5 seasons.

Babcock was fired by the Leafs for conduct that was deemed inappropriate. Many Leafs players accused Babcock of mental abuse and said he used verbal attacks.

Columbus is hoping those negative incidents are in Babcock’s past and that his pedigree for winning will continue with the Blue Jackets. The team’s roster is young and includes Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski, and the third overall pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.

Looks like the Jackets found their coach even if they can’t talk about him until the calendar flips to July.

-Ed in Columbus

@Ed_In_Columbus

*Photo courtesy of FOX News*