Columbus Blue Jackets Name Mike Babcock Head Coach

The Blue Jackets were finally able to announce their new head coach on Saturday, with Mike Babcock taking the place of terminated coach Brad Larsen. The club had to wait until July 1st to make the move official, allowing Babcock’s contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs to expire.

Babcock becomes the eighth full-time head coach in franchise history, getting a contract for two years and $8 million dollars. Usurping Larsen after the team struggled to find consistency this past season, the 60-year-old is a veteran coach, with 1,301 NHL games behind the bench, holding a 700-418-164 record (with 19 ties) in his career. He’s just four wins behind former Jacket coach John Tortorella for 11th most…