Writers, Analysts Weigh In On Julien’s Hire, Therrien’s Exit

Well that was fast. PHR’s Mike Furlano asked yesterday if  Michel Therrien was on the hot seat, along with others in the hockey world, and well, it’s obvious now as the Habs canned Therrien and (re) hired Claude Julien for a second stint with the club.

The Canadiens pushed their chips into the middle and are ready to see if Julien can take them further than Therrien. It worked in Pittsburgh when the Pens, half a season removed from a Stanley Cup Final appearance, fired Therrien in favor of Dan Bylsma. The Penguins went on to win the Cup that season.

Here are some thoughts from around the league:

• CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty writes that it’ll be interesting if the Habs gamble works out. Haggerty is surprised that the Bruins would allow Julien to interview in Montreal, in light of the historic rivalry between the teams. However, Haggerty argues that the Bruins have seen an uptick in play since relieving Julien of his post, and that the Habs, in their own right, gain a French-Canadian–which is important to many in the fanbase. What Haggerty loves most is how this should heat up the rivalry even more–which only makes for good hockey.
• USA Today’s Kevin Allen explains that Julien will get the most out of the younger players, and be “more open minded” when it comes to deploying them on the ice. Additionally, adding a coach of Julien’s caliber makes Allen believe that it’ll add a spark. Finally, should he be able to restore Carey Price’s confidence, Allen believes the Habs are a sleeper in the Eastern Conference.
• Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski indicates that it’s a wonderful opportunity for the Canadiens, and a potentially embarrassing one for the Bruins. The Boston front office has taken its fair share of heat since letting Julien go, especially after fans and analysts wondered aloud if it was the front office to blame for the B’s woes. Should Marc Bergevin trade for more assets, Wyshynski believes this to be a potential curveball in what looked like a one division race for the Eastern Conference crown.
• Wyshynski’s colleague Josh Cooper points out that the Habs hopped on the hiring before anyone could get a chance to acquire Julien’s services. Noting that Julien is considered one of the NHL’s top coaches this decade, it was a no-brainer to swap him in for Therrien as there’s been a noticeable drop off for the Canadiens. But he says the pressure is on Julien to prove that this was indeed, the best move for the organization.