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 all-time.
For a franchise looking for accountability and respect, Babcock is certainly an obvious choice. He demands the most from his players and will definitely make this team more responsible on both sides of the puck.