June 9 (Reuters) - The Detroit Red Wings appointed Jeff Blashill as the club's head coach on Tuesday to replace Mike Babcock, as had been widely expected.
Babcock departed last month after 10 seasons in Detroit to become the head coach of the Maple Leafs, lured to Toronto on an eight-year contract worth $50 million that made him the National Hockey League's highest-paid coach.
Blashill, 41, agreed to a four-year contract with Detroit where he becomes the second youngest coach in the NHL behind John Hynes, 40, who was hired by the New Jersey Devils last week.