ANAHEIM, Calif., May 22 (UPI) -- The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim promoted from within on Wednesday, naming Mike Babcock as the new coach of the struggling franchise.
Babcock has coached the team's top minor league affiliate, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League, the last two seasons.
Earlier this month, the Ducks elevated coach Bryan Murray to the position of senior vice president and general manager. In his new position, Murray relinquished his coaching duties and began a search for the Ducks' sixth coach in their nine-year history.
Murray decided on the 39-year-old Babcock, who posted a 74-59-20-7 record at Cincinnati and led the team to the playoffs in each of his two seasons.
Last season, Murray's first behind the Anaheim bench -- the Ducks finished in the basement of the Pacific Division for the second straight campaign with 69 points.
Following the season, the Ducks began their front office overhaul by firing General Manager Pierre Gauthier, who held the position for four years.
Even with superstar Paul Kariya, the Ducks have gone to the postseason just twice in nine years and claimed their only series victory in 1997, a seven-game triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes.
Babcock's job will be to rebuild a Ducks team that has Kariya and little else around him.
At the 2001 trade deadline, Anaheim attempted to add some depth, parting with superstar winger Teemu Selanne, sending him to San Jose for Jeff Friesen and goaltender Steve Shields.
But that move did nothing to revive the sagging franchise, all but sealing Gauthier's fate.
