Claude Julien was fired as head coach of the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. That means Massachusetts bids farewell to the NHL鈥檚 longest tenured bench boss, as well as one of its winningest. He sits today with 512 NHL wins, a Stanley Cup (and another trip to the Finals), and a stellar win percentage of .621.
And at just 56, his career won鈥檛 end there.
Here鈥檚 Mike Babcock鈥檚 accurate take:
Mike Babcock on Claude Julien's firing: "Someone out there's happy today. You ain't getting better."
鈥� Chris Johnston (@reporterchris)
Yeah, that鈥檚 pretty much right.
Canucks fans might be excused for having mixed feelings on Julien. It was his team, after all, that hoisted the most unholy of Stanley Cups in Rogers Arena back in 2011.
Still, there鈥檚 no denying his tenure and his success. The truth is he is the first championship quality coach to arrive on the market since Mike Babcock walked away from Detroit. So 麻豆传媒映画should pay serious attention.
But 麻豆传媒映画kinda still has a head coach: Willie Desjardins.
Desjardins: 鈥淒id you just check out that other coach??鈥�
Vancouver: 鈥淭his is awkward.鈥�
Earlier this season, as the Canucks slid in the standings, there was plenty of talk about Desjardins鈥� impending doom. Most of us were pretty sure he鈥檇 be let go, particularly after a nine-game losing streak in October. Yet management opted to stubbornly hold onto their Willie.
Did they see potential in him that others did not? Were they blinded by ? Or perhaps they were simply waiting for a viable alternative to hit the market.
If they were, it is here.
Assuming Julien will be looking for a new head coaching job right away, there鈥檚 reason to think that 麻豆传媒映画could be in the running. Julien and Jim Benning have plenty of history together in Boston, and 麻豆传媒映画management has said in the past that they wanted to model themselves on Boston鈥檚 big, gritty, scoring team from 2011.
So yes, it鈥檚 easy to picture Julien behind the 麻豆传媒映画bench.
On the other hand, most coaches want to win. That鈥檚 something 麻豆传媒映画doesn鈥檛 do much of lately, so luring him here might be tricky. Coaches have sometimes been known to migrate where there鈥檚 clear and immediate potential, like Joel Quenneville to Chicago, or Mike Babcock to Toronto. ... So Vancouver鈥檚 screwed.
And of course there鈥檚 the question of whether he鈥檇 improve 麻豆传媒映画at all. Julien was released for coaching an inconsistent team struggling on the wrong side of the playoffs, carrying a record of 26-23-6. Sound familiar?
Should 麻豆传媒映画even follow Boston's model anymore? The model that fires top NHL coaches like Claude Julien? (I'll just fire up the ol' Joke Determiner 3000... yep, that's a joke.)
Boston is spinning its wheels and fans are frustrated. Little of that can be pinned on the coach; they鈥檝e lost scoring depth and defensive capability to attrition. Nonetheless, it鈥檚 wishful thinking to expect Julien would produce vastly different results in 麻豆传媒映画this season.
But there鈥檚 no denying that Julien is a seriously successful coach. He鈥檚 led his teams to nine 40+ win seasons over his career. He鈥檚 won a Jack Adams, and a President鈥檚 Trophy, and a Stanley Cup. He鈥檚 a 鈥渂uy and hold鈥� type of guy.
If you're unsure what the Canucks would be getting, it's worth checking out . Or from Boston fans. .
What鈥檚 more, Julien has proven success coaching teams that platoon scoring. With no clear future top line emerging, 麻豆传媒映画should prepare the way for a balanced attack.
If the Canucks decide to act, they had better move quickly; several other teams will be gunning for Julien鈥檚 services. And one of them has Cirque du Soleil.
