{allcanada} Mike Babcock hired by Maple Leafs as coach

Mike Babcock has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who will introduce their new coach at a Thursday press conference.

Terms of the contact were not released, but Sportsnet and TSN reported Babcock will get eight years and approximately $50 million.

Babcock leaves the Detroit Red Wings, where he coached for 10 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and losing in the Cup Final in 2009. This season, the Red Wings finished third in the Atlantic Division and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a seven-game Eastern Conference First Round series.

In 12 seasons as coach of the Anaheim Ducks and Red Wings, Babcock is 527-285-119 with 19 ties.

The Maple Leafs will have to give the Red Wings a third-round pick in the NHL Draft within the next three years as compensation for hiring Babcock.

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