Mike Babcock Michael " Mike " Babcock Jr . ( born April 29 , 1963 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach , currently serving as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He previously spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings , with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2008 and helped to the Stanley Cup Playoffs every year during his tenure . He holds the record as the coach with the most wins in Red Wings history , surpassing that of Jack Adams . He has also served as head coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim , whom he helped to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals . Babcock was born in Manitouwadge , Ontario and grew up in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan . As of March 2017 , he is the only coach to gain entry to the Triple Gold Club , having guided the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008 , as well as leading Team Canada to gold at the IIHF World Championship in 2004 , the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi . Babcock is the only coach to win six ( or even five ) distinct national or international titles , guiding Canada to gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the IIHF World Junior Championship in 1997 , and the University of Lethbridge to the CIS University Cup in 1994 . Coaching career . Babcock is one of four McGill University players to coach an NHL team ( Lester Patrick with the New York Rangers ; George Burnett with the Edmonton Oilers ; and Guy Boucher with the Ottawa Senators . In 2008 , Babcock became the second McGill hockey player to coach a Stanley Cup winner , the other being Lester Patrick . Babcock has had a distinguished coaching career , He is the only coach in the Triple Gold Club , and he guided Team Canada to gold medals at the 1997 World Junior Championships in Geneva , the 2004 IIHF World Championship in Prague , the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver , and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi . In addition , he guided the University of Lethbridge to a CIS national title in 1994 . Detroit marked the seventh coaching stint for the nomadic Babcock , a native of Saskatoon , SK who has lived in six Canadian provinces ( Saskatchewan , Quebec , Alberta , Ontario , British Columbia , Manitoba , and his current residence Toronto ) and four American states ( Washington , Ohio , California , and Michigan ) . Red Deer College . 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 . Moose Jaw – WHL . Babcock moved to the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) in 1991 , where he guided the Moose Jaw Warriors for a two - year term . University of Lethbridge – CIS . He then served one season as coach 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 . Spokane – WHL . 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 ) . Cincinnati – AHL . 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 . Babcock was named head coach of the NHL ' s Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 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 Mighty Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals , where they lost in seven 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 his first three seasons , Babcock led the Red Wings to a combined 162 – 56 – 28 regular season record and a 28 – 18 playoff record . He and the Red Wings were eliminated by his former club , the Anaheim Ducks , in the Western Conference Finals of the 2007 playoffs . in the 2007 - 08 season , Babcock earned his 200th NHL career win in Detroit ' s 5 – 2 victory over the Florida Panthers on December 15 , 2007 . Heading into the 2008 NHL All - Star Game , as the top team in the NHL , Babcock was selected to coach the Western Conference in the All - Star Game . On June 4 , 2008 , he led the Red Wings to another Stanley Cup Championship by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games . Babcock was announced as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for the 2007 – 08 season , awarded to the coach who best contributes to his team ' s success , but ultimately 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 the 2008 - 09 season , the Red Wings again made the Stanley Cup Final , but lost in seven games to the Pittsburgh Penguins . With the loss in Game 7 , Babcock became the first head coach to lose a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 with two different teams . In the 2011 playoffs , Babcock ' s Red Wings fell behind the San Jose Sharks three games to none in the second round , but won three - straight to force a Game 7 , which the Wings lost 3 – 2 . At this point into his coaching career , Babcock had accumulated an impressive NHL playoff record of 63 – 39 . n October 2010 , Babcock signed a four - year extension with the Red Wings that saw him through to the end of the 2014 - 15 season . On April 8 , 2014 , Babcock earned his 414th career win as head coach of the Red Wings , surpassing Jack Adams as the winningest coach in Red Wings history . Babcock was announced as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for the 2013 – 14 season , his second nomination , but finished second in voting behind Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche . On December 6 , 2014 , Babcock earned his 500th career win as a head coach , becoming the second - fastest coach in NHL history to do so ; only Hockey Hall of Famer and former Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman reached the 500 - win plateau faster . After failing to come to terms on a contract extension with the Red Wings , Babcock requested and received permission to seek employment elsewhere on May 8 , 2015 . The Buffalo Sabres were considered the most serious contenders for Babcock ' s services , with the St . Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks also being in the mix . However , on May 20 , 2015 , it was announced that Babcock would become the new head coach of the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs . He received an eight - year deal worth $ 50 million ( $ 6 . 25 million per season average ) , which made him the highest paid coach in NHL history . Prior to Babcock signing the deal , Todd McLellan of the Edmonton Oilers was the highest paid coach in the league , reportedly earning $ 3 million per season . On February 4 , 2016 , Babcock coached his 1 , 000 NHL game against New Jersey Devils . The Maple Leafs finished last in the entire league during Babcock ' s first year , compiling a record of 29 - 42 - 11 and 69 points . Despite this , praise was given to Babcock ' s coaching and patience with a team that was expected to do extremely poorly . This season was also the first time Babcock missed the playoffs since the 2004 playoffs when he was with the Mighty Ducks . Babcock ' s coaching methods proved to work , turning the leafs from a last place time to a playoff contender within one season . Coaching style . Babcock ' s teams generally focus on skills and puck possession . Babcock is also one of the game ' s most respected coaches by way of line combinations , match - ups and overall game strategy . Babcock has continued his tradition of building a team with skills rather than enforcement in Detroit . Since the 2005 – 06 season , Babcock ' s teams have consistently had the fewest penalty minutes of any NHL team . From the 2005 – 06 to 2014 – 15 seasons , the Red Wings average 22 % fewer penalty minutes than the League average , and 44 % fewer penalty minutes than the highest League total . Playing career . Before his time playing days at McGill University , 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 . Babcock also had a brief try - out with the Vancouver Canucks . Babcock graduated from McGill in 1987 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 rearguard 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 . Babcock graduated from Saskatoon ' s Holy Cross High School in 1981 . References .