Mike Babcock, a graduate of McGill, was honoured recently at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., along with three products of the McGill Martlets for a Hockey Canada ring ceremony to commemorate the Olympic gold medals won by Canada in hockey at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
Joining him were Olympians Mélodie Daoust, a 22-year-old physical education student along with McGill grads Catherine Ward (B.Com. ’09) and Charline Labonté (B.Ed. ’12).
It was the sixth championship ring for Babcock, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, who patrolled the blueline for the Redmen from 1983 to 1986. The 50-year-old native of Saskatoon, Sask., also won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, in addition to a Stanley Cup victory (2007), an IIHF world junior championship (1997), an IIHF world senior title (2004) and a CIS University Cup banner with Lethbridge (1994).
Babcock (B.Ed ’86) led Canada to an unblemished 6-0 record in Sochi last February and guided a young and injury-plagued Detroit squad to a 39-28-25 record and a wild-card berth in the post-season, extending the team’s playoff appearance streak to 23 consecutive years. He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy, which goes to the NHL coach of the year. His combined lifetime coaching record, at all levels, stands at 921-615-180 in 1,710 games overall, including a 484-274-110 mark in the NHL regular season.