Wings and Babcock Agree on Three Year Deal

[JKidd]

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland today announced the team has signed head coach Mike Babcock to a 3-year contract extension.

“Mike has been a huge part in the Red Wings’ success during his time in Detroit,” said Holland. “We are fortunate to have secured a coach with his work ethic and leadership for another three seasons.”

Babcock, having just completed his third season as Detroit’s head coach, posts a 162-56-28 record and adds the 2008 Stanley Cup Championship to his repertoire. A nominee for this year’s Jack Adams award, Babcock is the first coach in NHL history to have led a team to three consecutive 50-win seasons, earning 58 victories and a President’s Trophy in 2005-06, 50 wins in 2006-07, and 54 victories, a President’s Trophy and a Stanley Cup in 2007-08.

Babcock was named head coach of the Western Conference for the 2008 NHL All-Star Game and also named 2008’s Coach of the Year by The Sporting News.

Since his first year as an NHL head coach in 2003, Babcock leads all NHL head coaches in post season wins. In 67 games, he has a record of 43-24 (.642). Babcock is also the third coach in history to win both a Stanley Cup and University Cup, the Canadian equivalent of the NCAA.

Away from the rink Babcock is involved in several charitable causes. Most notably, he donates two tickets to each Red Wings home game to a child battling cancer and meets with him or her prior to the game. He is also the spokesperson for the Jeffrey Thomas Hayden Foundation, which was created to increase awareness about pediatric brain tumors and provide education and support to affected families.

Babcock and his wife Maureen, have three children: Allie, Michael and Taylor.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

And all of Detroit groans, grumbles, and gripes realizing Mike is going to utilize the "Powerplay is our Payback" during the regular season as well

[Isles4life]

Well he's clearly not a popular coach on this website, but he wins. Can't say this was unexpected.

[UKRedWing]

Yay.

[Snipes19]

Good move by Detroit to re-sign him.

He may not be the most popular coach on this site, but that's just because he doesn't dress a very tough lineup game-in and game-out. But the point of the game is to win, and Babcock knows how to do that, so as much as he may not be a "pro-fighting coach", you can't blame the Wings for bringing him back, because the guy really is one of the best coaches in the game today, and he will just continue to make the Wings win with that team they have.