Wednesday 20 May 2015 19:46, UK
The Toronto Maple Leafs have beaten off competition from a number of other teams to appoint Mike Babcock as their new head coach.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed in a statement by the Maple Leafs but they reportedly offered Babcock, who has spent the last 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, an eight-year contract worth $50m that would make him the National Hockey League's highest-paid coach.
Babcock, considered one of the most accomplished active coaches in the league, succeeds Peter Horachek, who filled in on an interim basis after Randy Carlyle was fired in January when Toronto fell out of playoff contention.
Several teams courted Babcock and it reportedly came down to Toronto, St Louis, San Jose, Buffalo and Detroit.
His contract with the Red Wings expires next month and the team offered him a five-year deal worth $4m per season.
Because Babcock is still under contract, Toronto have to give up a third-round draft pick within the next three years as compensation to Detroit for signing the coach.
