Former Maple Leafs Coach Linked to New Head Coaching Role
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
According to Russian hockey insider Artur Khairullin, former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock is being considered for Ak Bars Kazan's coaching job.
It's been five years since Mike Babcock coached in the NHL, taking the reins of the Toronto Maple Leafs and leaving unceremoniously after it was revealed that some of his motivational methods may have been may have been below the level of acceptance from the organization.
While he had been bandied about in potential jobs previously, nothing stuck and it seems that his murky reputation because of what happened in Toronto has led him to still be unemployed.
But there is no denying he's a talented coach with a long list of accomplishments and success; whatever your personal opinion is on the coach you can't deny his record.
Where Mike Babcock's Name Has Surfaced Again
Which is why it's not too surprising to see the former NHL head coach getting attention from other leagues. According to Artur Khairullin; a Russian hockey insider, Babcock has been listed as a potential candidate for Ak Bars Kazan's coaching job.
Ak Bars Kazan was previously coached by Anvar Gatiyatulin during the 2024-25 KHL season and it seems the team wants a different direction with Babcock.
He would join a growing list of former NHL coaches who have gone overseas and have found success including Bob Hartley, Gerard Gallant, Mike Keenan, and Guy Boucher.
Other coaches in the KHL include former NHL players Alexei Zhamnov, Igor Larionov, and Viktor Kozlov.
Babcock owns a career 700-418-19-164 record (Wins/Losses/Ties/OT Losses) over a 17-year coaching journey.
After leading the Anaheim Ducks for two years in the mid-2000s, he became synonymous with the Detroit Red Wings and their incredible run from the late 2000s to mid-2010s.
He found himself hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, however quickly handed in his resignation after it was revealed he had asked players to share personal information not pertinent to anything to do with hockey.
There are certain to be a few other coaches who Ak Bars Kazan could take a look at, however few have the pedigree and accomplishments of Babcock, but let's hope he's learned this time round if he is hired.
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