COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly decided who will be their next coach.

Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger of TSN are reporting Columbus intends to hire Mike Babcock once his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs expires at the end of June.

The 60-year-old Babcock has coached 1,301 games in the NHL earning 700 wins over 17 seasons and one Stanley Cup title.

Babcock coached the Maple Leafs for a little over four years until he was fired in November 2019. His record in Toronto was 173-133-45.

He also coached Anaheim for two years and Detroit for 10 years, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and finishing as the runner-up in 2009.

Babcock’s success on the ice extends well beyond the NHL. Babcock led Canada to gold medals at the world championship in 2004 and the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014. He’s the only coach who is a member of the Triple Gold Club.

Controversial coach

Babcock’s stint in Detroit was also marred in controversy. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen, who played for Babcock all 10 years he was in Detroit, told Swedish outlet Expressen that Babcock was a “bully” and “the worst person I have ever met.”

Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios backed up Franzen’s accusations when he told a story to the Spittin Chiclets podcast about Babcock verbally assaulting Franzen during the 2011-12 playoffs.

“[Franzen] was hurt at the time of the playoffs, we lost to Nashville,” Chelios said. “I don’t know what he said to him behind closed doors, but he was blatantly verbally assaulting him during the game.”

In an interview with Sportsnet, Babcock said the idea that he bullied Franzen or anyone else on the team was “the craziest thing he’s ever heard of.”