Ken Hitchcock agreed Wednesday to succeed Gerard Gallant as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hitchcock, 55, signed a three-year contract with the Blue Jackets, who dismissed Gallant on Nov. 13.

Ken Hitchcock was hired Wednesday as head coach of the Blue Jackets.
(Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Financial details were not disclosed.

"Any discussion of the top coaches in the National Hockey League over the past 10 years has included the name Ken Hitchcock," Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean said. "He is a proven winner, a Stanley Cup champion."

Hitchcock was fired Oct. 22 by the Philadelphia Flyers — the same day that Bob Clarke resigned as general manager — but later agreed to scout for the Flyers until he found another coaching job.

Ironically, he'll face Philadelphia in his debut behind the Blue Jackets bench on Friday. 

Hitchcock takes control of a team with a woeful 5-13-1 record and riding a six-game losing streak, including four in a row under interim head coach Gary Agnew.

"I love to teach, I love to coach and I love to build," Hitchcock told the Canadian Press.

"I'm going to a great young team. I'm really looking forward to this, it's going to be a great challenge."

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Hitchcock was the first candidate interviewed by the Blue Jackets.

Other names bandied about were Portland Pirates head coach Kevin Dineen as well as former NHL head coaches Mike Keenan, Andy Murray and Pat Quinn.

Hitchcock amassed a career record of 408-249-100 as head coach with the Flyers and Dallas Stars, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

But Philadelphia's 1-6-1 start this season was its worst in 15 years, prompting ownership to replace Hitchcock with assistant coach John Stevens and Clarke with Paul Holmgren.

With files from the Associated Press