COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets formally introduced Mike Babcock as the new head coach on Saturday.
He will be replacing Brad Larsen, who was fired on April 15.
Babcock, 60, will be returning behind an NHL bench for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. Since being fired as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 20, 2019, Babcock had been a volunteer coach at two universities, spent time with his family and hunted on his farm near Cincinnati, among other things.
While away from the game, Babcock said his daughter helped him realize that he needed to evolve some of his coaching methods.
"I think the first thing is my daughter has this line she uses with me all the time she says, 'Dad, it's not what you say. It's your tone.' You know, I'm a straightforward guy. Honest, hard-working, enthusiastic," Babcock said. "But the message sent and the message received often isn't the same.
"So, you're talking to a young man and you think you had a great meeting and then you find out later as he talks to one of the assistant coaches, 'Oh, 'Babs' was all over me.' See, I didn't think I was. The ability to communicate and send the right message that you want to send and do it in a way that's totally respectful. To me, this what the last three-and-a half years have been about."
He credits his time volunteering at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Vermont and being able to work with young players to help him evolve.
"It was pure joy," he said. "I loved being around the kids. I've been around my last couple opportunities with college kids, and it's different, for sure," Babcock said. "What I do know is, when you have 23 different guys on your team, you need 23 different ways to approach them. You need a communication plan with each one, a development plan with each one, you need a mental health plan with each one to have success. I couldn't have said what I just said to you now 10 years ago, because I didn't know that.
"When you go to a university setting, they have all these experts in all these fields, right there. They help you get better. I had some good relationships with people there and they teach you a lot about the way you communicate. I think it's important that you continue to grow."
Babcock, has a career record of 700-418-164 with 19 ties, ranking 12th in NHL history in wins. He has coached 1,301 games (16th) in 17 seasons for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Babcock is 90-74 in 164 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including winning the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008 and guiding the Mighty Ducks (2003) and Red Wings (2009) to the Stanley Cup Final. Along with a new coach, the Blue Jackets will have a new look on the ice this season as well. They upgraded the defense, by trading for Ivan Provorov in a three-team deal with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings on June 6. Three days later, they acquired Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils and signed him to an eight-year, $50 million contract. Columbus also selected forward Adam Fantilli with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract Saturday.
The Blue Jackets went 25-48-9 in 2022-23, finishing last in the Eastern Conference and 31st in the NHL, ahead of only the Ducks, despite signing forward Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year contract and restricted free agent forward Patrik Laine to a four-year contract last offseason.
Columbus has missed the playoffs three-straight seasons now after making four consecutive appearances.
But Babcock believes that a retooled Columbus roster, along with some retooling of his coaching methods, will be the right kind of change for the franchise.
"I think it's real important for all of us as people, we've got to change every year," he said. "We've got to grow. I used to say the offseason was a chance to reinvent yourself, but what's happened to me over the last 3-1/2 years, it's been a thrill to be around my family so much, but I got a couple of really good opportunities."
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