McGill mentor Nobes to serve as guest coach at Red Wings camp
KELLY NOBES (LEFT) and MIKE BABCOCK (RIGHT). PHOTOS BY ANDREW DOBROWOLSKYJ.
MONTREAL - McGill Redmen bench boss Kelly Nobes has been invited to attend the Detroit Red Wings training camp in Traverse City, Mich., Sept. 16-18. Nobes received the invitation from Detroit head coach Mike Babcock, a former McGill all-star defenceman, who skated for the team from 1983 to 1987.
"It's a great opportunity for me and the Redmen hockey program," said Nobes, a native of West Hill, Ont., who returns for his second season at McGill after guiding the Redmen to 24-2-2 regular-season finish. The team went on to capture the OUA's Queen's Cup league title and a silver-medal finish at the CIS national championship in Fredericton last March.
Babcock is the only coach in hockey history to have won five different major championship rings (Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, IIHF World Championship, IIHF World Junior Championship, CIS Championship). He is entering his 10th NHL season (including the strike year) and owns a 373-188-19 record in 656 regular season games.
McGill will open their 136th campaign next week when they host the UPEI Panthers in back-to-back preseason games at McConnell Arena, Sept. 23-24.
Six McGill players have gone on to coach in the NHL, including the aforementioned Lester Patrick (N.Y. Rangers, 1926-39), plus George Burnett (Edmonton, head coach, 1994-95; Anaheim, asst. coach, 1998-99), Mike Babcock (Anaheim, head coach, 2000-02; Detroit, head coach, 2002-present), Jamie Kompon (St. Louis, asst. coach, 1998-05; Los Angeles, asst. coach, 2005-present), Guy Boucher (Tampa Bay, head coach, 2010-present), Martin Raymond (Tampa Bay, asst. coach, 2010-present).
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)