Mike Babcock Named Canada Head Coach for 2016 World Cup of Hockey

On Thursday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was named Canada's head coach for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, according to a release from Hockey Canada. 

The World Cup of Hockey, which will begin Sept. 17, 2016, and run through Oct. 1, 2016 in Toronto, is an eight-team tournament featuring national sides like Canada (the last champion from 2004), the United States (the inaugural champion in 1996) and the Czech Republic that will include all NHL players. 

Canada's general manager, Doug Armstrong, spoke to the media after the announcement, per Hockey Canada's release: "We’re happy to have Mike lead our World Cup coaching staff next September. His successes in creating a winning culture in a two-week tournament are well documented. We are looking forward to representing Canada and making our country proud."

This is a role that Babcock has filled before, winning gold medals as Team Canada's head coach in the 2004 IIHF World Championships and the Olympics in 2010 and 2014. He is in his first year with the Maple Leafs after spending 10 years with the Detroit Red Wings, winning a Stanley Cup in 2008.

Babcock went to Maple Leafs management before accepting the job, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun:

He spoke to the media as well about the position: "It’s a huge honour to be given this opportunity to represent Canada again. Whether it was ’97 at the World Juniors, ’04 at the worlds or the last two Olympics in ‘10 and ’14, you feel very blessed and honoured to represent your country."

Joining Babcock on Canada's coaching staff as assistants will be Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters. 

All have had prior experience coaching the national team and bring a bevy of accomplishments behind the bench. In what will be one of the strongest squads in the field at the World Cup of Hockey, Canada has one of the top coaches in the game to steer it toward a gold medal.