Mike Babcock

Mike Babcock Jr.
Babcock coaching a playoff game
Born	April 29, 1963 (1963-04-29) Manitouwadge, Ontario
Current team	Detroit Red Wings
Previous team(s)	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Stanley Cup wins	2008
Years as a coach	1991–present
Years as an NHL coach	2002–present
Years with current team	2005–present

Michael "Mike" Babcock, Jr. (born April 29, 1963, in Manitouwadge, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and former player. Head coach of the Red Wings, he is the only coach to gain entry to the Triple Gold Club as of June 2011, guiding his Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008, as well as leading Team Canada to gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the IIHF world hockey championship in 2004. He is the only coach to win five national or international titles, guiding Canada to gold at the IIHF world junior championship in 1997 and the University of Lethbridge to a CIS national championship in 1994.

Playing and coaching career

Before his playing days at McGill University (where he was captain), Babcock played for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL in 1980–81 and spent a season with the Kelowna Wings in 1982–83. In between, he played a year under Dave King at the University of Saskatchewan and transferred to McGill in 1983 under coach Ken Tyler. In September 1985 Babcock also had a brief try-out with the Vancouver Canucks.

Babcock graduated from McGill in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and also did some post-graduate work in sports psychology. In 146 career games with the Redmen, he tallied 22 goals and 85 assists for a total of 107 points and 301 penalty minutes, graduating as the second-highest scoring defenseman in McGill history. He moved to England in 1987 as a player-coach for Whitley Warriors (near Newcastle upon Tyne), who missed out on the league title by two points. In 49 games, he contributed 45 goals and 127 assists, accumulating 123 penalty minutes.

Coaching career

Babcock is one of four McGill University players to coach an NHL team (Lester Patrick guided the New York Rangers; George Burnett served in Edmonton; and Guy Boucher served in Tampa Bay). In 2008, Babcock became the second McGill hockey player to coach a Stanley Cup winner, the other being Lester Patrick. He was a two-time all-star rearguard at McGill from 1983–84 to 1986–87, where he also won the Bobby Bell trophy as team MVP. He has had a distinguished coaching career and entered the 2011–12 season with a lifetime 798–540–148 regular season coaching record in 18 seasons overall, including a 373–188–95 NHL mark in eight seasons (two with Anaheim and six with Detroit). He also guided Team Canada to gold medals at the 1997 world junior championships in Geneva, the 2004 IIHF world hockey championships in Prague and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In addition, he guided the University of Lethbridge to a CIS national title in 1994.

Detroit marks the seventh coaching stint for the nomadic Babcock, a native of Ontario who has lived in six Canadian provinces (Saskatchewan, Quebec, Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba) and four US states (Washington, Ohio, California and his current residence, Michigan).

In 1988, Babcock was appointed head coach at Red Deer College in Alberta. He spent three seasons at the school, winning the provincial collegiate championship and earning coach-of-the-year honours in 1989.

Babcock moved to the Western Hockey League in 1991 where he guided the Moose Jaw Warriors for a two-year term. He then served one season as bench boss of the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, earning Canada West coach-of-the-year honours in 1993–94 after guiding Lethbridge to their first-ever appearance in post-season play and an entirely unexpected Canadian university national title with a 34–11–3 over-all mark.

In 1994, he was appointed coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, where he posted a regular-season record of 224–172–29 over six seasons for a .564 winning percentage. He was named twice as the West Division coach of the year (1995–1996 and 1999–2000).

From 2000–01 to 2001–02, Babcock guided the American Hockey League's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, to a 74–59–20–7 record, including a franchise-high 41 wins and 95 points. The team qualified for the playoffs both years.

NHL

He was named head coach of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks (then the Mighty Ducks) on May 22, 2002, and through two seasons, guided them to a combined 69–62–19 regular season record (including 14 overtime losses). In the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Ducks, he posted a 15–6 record, leading the Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost in 7 games to the New Jersey Devils.

Following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Babcock declined an offer to remain with the Ducks, and on July 15, 2005, was named head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. In three seasons, Babcock has led the Red Wings to a combined 162–56–28 regular season record and a 28–18 playoff record. Babcock and the Red Wings were eliminated by his former club, the Anaheim Ducks, in the Western Conference Finals of the 2006–07 playoffs.

In the 2007–08 NHL season, while coaching the Detroit Red Wings, Babcock achieved his 200th NHL career win. This was on December 15 against the Florida Panthers, with a 5–2 final score. Heading into the All-Star game, as the top team in the league, Detroit's Babcock was selected to coach the Western Conference in the All-Star game. On June 4, 2008, Babcock led the Detroit Red Wings to another Stanley Cup championship by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

He was announced as a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy for the 2007–08 season, awarded to the coach who best contributes to his team's success but finished third behind Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals and Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens.

In June 2008, Babcock signed a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings. In 2009, he became the second head coach (after Mike Keenan) to coach a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 with two different teams. With the Red Wings loss in Game 7, Babcock became the first head coach to lose a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 with two different teams, an unfortunate fate that Keenan avoided, though he was with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1987, as he was with the New York Rangers in 1994.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs of 2011, Babcock's Red Wings fell behind the San Jose Sharks 3 games to none in the second round, but won three straight to force a game seven, which the Wings lost 3-2.

Thus far into his coaching career he has accumulated a playoff record of 63-39. In October 2010, Babcock signed a further four-year extension with the Red Wings that will see him through to the end of the 2014-15 season.

International

On June 24, 2009, he was announced as the head coach of the Canada men's national ice hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The team finished the round robin with a regulation win over Norway, a shootout win over Switzerland, and a loss to the United States. In the elimination rounds they defeated Germany, Russia, and then Slovakia to advance to the gold medal game where they defeated the USA 3-2 in single overtime.

With the win Babcock became the first coach (and only thus far) in the International Ice Hockey Federation's Triple Gold Club. In addition to the Olympic gold, Babcock earned a World Championship title coaching Canada in 2004 and a Stanley Cup championship coaching the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.

To honour Babcock's entrance into the Triple Gold Club, the City of Saskatoon announced that July 17, 2010, will be known as "Mike Babcock Day."

Personal

Mike and Maureen Babcock have three children: Alexandra, Michael III and Taylor. Although he was born in Manitouwadge, Ontario, he grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which most media guides incorrectly state as his birthplace. He spent the majority of his childhood moving around between Northern Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, before his family settled in Saskatoon, which he considers his hometown. Babcock's family didn't establish their roots in the city until 1975. Babcock attended both St. James Elementary School (since closed) and Holy Cross High School on Saskatoon's east side. Babcock is also one of the many notable graduates on Holy Cross High School's "Wall of Honour."

Coaching career statistics

Minor league

Year	Team	League	W	L	OT/T	Finish	Playoffs
1991–92	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL	33	36	3	6th East	Lost East Division quarter-final
1992–93	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL	27	42	3	8th East	Out of playoffs
1994–95	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	32	36	4	5th West	Lost West Division semi-final
1995–96	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	50	18	4	1st West	Lost WHL finals
1996–97	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	35	33	4	3rd West	Lost West Division semi-final
1997–98	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	45	23	4	2nd West	Lost West Division final
1998–99	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	19	44	9	7th West	Out of playoffs
1999–2000	Spokane Chiefs	WHL	47	19	6	1st West	Lost WHL finals
2000–01	Cincinnati Mighty Ducks	AHL	41	26	13	2nd South	Lost in first round
2001–02	Cincinnati Mighty Ducks	AHL	33	33	14	3rd Central	Lost in preliminary round

National Hockey League

Team	Year	Regular season							Post season
		G	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	Division rank	Result
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	2002–03	82	40	27	9	6	95	2nd in Pacific	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
	2003–04	82	29	35	10	8	76	4th in Pacific	Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings	2005–06	82	58	16	-	8	124	1st in Central	Lost in first round
	2006–07	82	50	19	-	13	113	1st in Central	Lost in Conference Finals
	2007–08	82	54	21	-	7	115	1st in Central	Won Stanley Cup
	2008–09	82	51	21	-	10	112	1st in Central	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
	2009–10	82	44	24	-	14	102	2nd in Central	Lost in second round
	2010-11	82	47	25	-	10	104	1st in Central	Lost in second round
	2011-12	48	32	15	-	1	65	Still in Progress	Have not Started
Total		656	405	203	19	77