Canadiens Hire Former Bruins Coach Claude Julien
BOSTON (CBS) – Claude Julien has a new home, and it's with his former team's biggest rival.
Fired one week ago by the Bruins, the veteran coach has landed with the Montreal Canadiens.
Julien, who coached Montreal for three years to start his career, was fired by the Bruins one week ago. From 2003-06, Julien led the Canadiens to a 72-62-10 record, winning one playoff series (over, coincidentally, the Bruins) in 2004.
"Claude Julien is an experienced and well respected coach with a good knowledge of the Montreal market," general manager Marc Bergevin said. "Claude has been very successful as an NHL coach and he won the Stanley Cup. Today we hired the best available coach, and one of the league's best. I am convinced that he has the capabilities to get our team back on the winning track."
On Tuesday, the Canadiens announced that coach Michel Therrien had been relieved of his duties and Julien was hired to replace him.
"The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him," Bergevin said. "I came to the conclusion that our team needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction."
The Canadiens currently sit comfortably atop the Atlantic Division standings with 70 points, ahead of Ottawa (64 points) and Boston (64 points). Like the Bruins, the Canadiens are on their bye week. Their next game will be Saturday, at home, against Winnipeg. The Bruins and Canadiens will not meet again during the regular season.
Felger & Massarotti were on the air when the news broke. Listen to their reaction below:
