Hail to the new and returning Caesar Claude Julien
Welcome back Claude I hope you know what you're getting into. My first impression of Claude Julien is how he has unfairly been fired. When he was fired by Bob Gainey, I thought it was just the GM Bob Gainey wanting to take over the reigns of the team from someone he had not hired. Julien was not doing a bad job at the time. Since this was Julien's first coaching stint in the NHL no one considered this firing a big mistake. Julien took over the New Jersey Devils the following year and had coached the Devils
to a wonderful season when he got fired again with a few games left in the season. Rumours were that leaders of the team led by Martin Brodeur did not want him. It has been unclear why this revolt occurred and seemed to stain Julien's persona.
Julien's next coaching assignment was with the Boston Bruins. During his tenure with the Bruins he lasted long enough to win a Cup and go to a Cup final another year. Julien had coached a colorful character-filled team led by rugged players like Chara, Lucic and Marchand to the promised land and revived the legendary big bad bruins moniker. Even in his stanley cup winning year rumours abounded that he would be fired by the new head of Operations Cam Neely. The last few years under the Neely regime the Bruins dismantled their team losing stars such as Tyler Seguin, Milan Lucic, and Dougie Hamilton. The return the Bruins got for these stars and others was less than desirable. The bruins started to slide for a few years and Julien unfairly was dumped this year as the team with aging veterans and mediocre young players was heading to a third year out of the playoffs. Julien looked tired and exhausted dealing with his roster and his bosses.
It is very surprising Julien has agreed to come back to the Montreal market. He must be aware that this market is even tougher than Boston. Fans and media are starved for the Stanley Cup and anything less will lead to an outcry. He is also taking over the reins of a first place team. Can Julien squeeze some more juice out of fading players like Plekanec and Desharnais? Can he get the production and confidence out of young, at times underperforming players like Beaulieu and Galchenyuk. It will be interesting to see who Julien trusts and who he dumps having viewed these players from an opposing coach's perspective. What does he think of players on the cusp such as McCarron and Pateryn? Is Charles Hudon the next Michael Ryder who Julien seemed to fancy in the past.
Julien has been hired to lead the habs to the promised land no more no less. He has experience in coaching the likes of Weber and Price for the olympic and world cup teams. He knows how good some habs players are having coached against Price and other stars like Pacioretty, Plekanec, and Gallagher in several playoff series. He must believe the habs are close. The pressure will be tremendous for Julien to win at all costs. Welcome back.
to a wonderful season when he got fired again with a few games left in the season. Rumours were that leaders of the team led by Martin Brodeur did not want him. It has been unclear why this revolt occurred and seemed to stain Julien's persona.Julien's next coaching assignment was with the Boston Bruins. During his tenure with the Bruins he lasted long enough to win a Cup and go to a Cup final another year. Julien had coached a colorful character-filled team led by rugged players like Chara, Lucic and Marchand to the promised land and revived the legendary big bad bruins moniker. Even in his stanley cup winning year rumours abounded that he would be fired by the new head of Operations Cam Neely. The last few years under the Neely regime the Bruins dismantled their team losing stars such as Tyler Seguin, Milan Lucic, and Dougie Hamilton. The return the Bruins got for these stars and others was less than desirable. The bruins started to slide for a few years and Julien unfairly was dumped this year as the team with aging veterans and mediocre young players was heading to a third year out of the playoffs. Julien looked tired and exhausted dealing with his roster and his bosses.
It is very surprising Julien has agreed to come back to the Montreal market. He must be aware that this market is even tougher than Boston. Fans and media are starved for the Stanley Cup and anything less will lead to an outcry. He is also taking over the reins of a first place team. Can Julien squeeze some more juice out of fading players like Plekanec and Desharnais? Can he get the production and confidence out of young, at times underperforming players like Beaulieu and Galchenyuk. It will be interesting to see who Julien trusts and who he dumps having viewed these players from an opposing coach's perspective. What does he think of players on the cusp such as McCarron and Pateryn? Is Charles Hudon the next Michael Ryder who Julien seemed to fancy in the past.
Julien has been hired to lead the habs to the promised land no more no less. He has experience in coaching the likes of Weber and Price for the olympic and world cup teams. He knows how good some habs players are having coached against Price and other stars like Pacioretty, Plekanec, and Gallagher in several playoff series. He must believe the habs are close. The pressure will be tremendous for Julien to win at all costs. Welcome back.
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