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Claude Julien

Alexander Radulov Out With Lower Body Injury

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As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to face the New York Rangers tonight in what very well could be a preview of a first-round playoff series, they do so without star forward Alexander Radulov. Radulov is considered day-to-day with a lower body injury and is out of the lineup tonight. The big winger blocked a P.K. Subban shot in the Canadiens’ last game, and while it was likely much appreciated by new coach Claude Julien, it also is likely the cause of his current absence.

Radulov has had a remarkable comeback season in 2016-17, his first full NHL season since 2007-08, after coming over from the KHL this summer. Criticized at first for giving the Russian enigma a $5.75MM contract, the deal has paid off for Montreal as Radulov has scored 15 goals and added 31 assists for 46 points, just 12 points off his NHL career-high 58 set almost a decade ago with the Nashville Predators. Radulov trails only captain Max Pacioretty in scoring on the Atlantic-leading Canadiens. Offensive depth has been an issue all season for the Habs, but they would have been in even deeper trouble without Radulov. The two sides are rumored to have already agreed upon an extension, but don’t expect an announcement until after the Expansion Draft.

While Radulov rests for the next few games in all likelihood, the Canadiens will get to see what their newly-acquired muscle can do. With a right wing spot opened up, former Colorado Avalanche bruiser Andreas Martinsen will draw into the lineup tonight. Also making his debut is Steve Ott, as he replaces rookie Michael McCarron in the lineup. The latter move may not go over as well as the former, but the new-look Habs will be interesting to watch regardless.

Snapshots: Vatrano, Lazar, Canadiens

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When Ryan Spooner spoke out recently saying that he didn’t have a good relationship with Claude Julien during his tenure with the Bruins, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Spooner never fit into Julien’s system, and the two obviously didn’t mesh properly. The Bruins likely didn’t like having a player speak out against a coach past or present, regardless of whether that coach was now behind the bench of a divisional rival.

Today another Boston forward has spoken up. In Joe Haggerty’s latest column for CSNNE, he relays that Frank Vatrano sounded very similar in his comments on a Boston radio show, saying that he “didn’t have the best relationship with Claude”. Vatrano doesn’t exactly speak ill of Julien, just that he feels much more comfortable with Bruce Cassidy his former coach with Providence and now bench boss of the NHL-Bruins. It’s showing on the ice, with Spooner and Vatrano combining for seven points in the last five games, which include four wins.

  • When Pierre Dorion said that he’d hold out for a first-round pick before dealing Curtis Lazar, Senators fans rejoiced knowing that they wouldn’t be underselling their former 17th overall pick. Apparently the addition of the recently waived Jyrki Jokipakka was enough to sway Dorion, as he dealt Lazar (and Mike Kostka) to Calgary for a second-rounder and the defenseman. Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun believes that he made a huge error in sending the struggling Lazar out west, even claiming that in ten years Lazar would have likely been wearing the captain’s ’C’ for Ottawa. While that seems unlikely, it is a good gamble for the Flames, who may have nabbed a future NHLer at his lowest value.
  • It certainly won’t look like the same team in Montreal, even if many of the key parts remain. The Habs added size in a big way at the deadline, shipping out some of their undersized pieces for Hulk-sized players. As Eric Engels writes in his latest piece for Sportsnet, the team has definitely gotten harder to play against, if not more skilled at the same time. The Canadiens’ biggest (in terms of impact) acquisition might be Dwight King, who might actually have a little bit of offensive upside left in him. Once upon a time King used his huge frame as an effective power forward, even scoring 30 points in 2013-14. His bang-and-crash style will be brand new to Montreal, who will fit perfectly into Claude Julien’s approach.

Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Sobotka, Spooner

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The Toronto Maple Leafs made their intentions clear this season as they added playoff-tested Brian Boyle to the mix for their playoff push. Not expected to compete for the Atlantic crown this year they find themselves just seven points back of Montreal with two games in hand. Kristen Shilton of TSN spoke to Mike Babcock about the addition, and he said the team deserves this. “We’re excited. Lou thought our group had earned the right for us to help them,” Babcock said, before indicating that Boyle will play tonight on the fourth line and help out both special teams.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie thinks that it’s not just Boyle that the Maple Leafs are after, and that they may use their LTIR space to facilitate other deals. The Leafs have a lot of cap space because of the dead contracts they’ve taken on over the past few years, and could use it to gather assets from teams looking to add at the deadline. They have to be careful though, as the bonuses that Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander (among others) are owed on their entry-level contracts cannot be covered by the LTIR space and would count as penalties next season should they put them over the cap.

  • McKenzie also detailed the possibility of Vladimir Sobotka turning heads at some point tomorrow, as the Omsk Avangard winger is nearing the end of his KHL contract. It’s not clear if Sobotka would consider coming over after his season ends, but would be playoff eligible. Lou Korac of NHL.com asked Blues GM Doug Armstrong about the possibility, who responded: “Once he gets on our soil, then I’ll talk about him.” The 29-year old Sobotka has been a pain in Armstrong’s side for a long time.
  • In a new column from Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, Ryan Spooner spoke out against his former coach Claude Julien and the tense relationship the two shared. Spooner claims that Julien “just didn’t really trust [him]”, and that the two never saw eye to eye on his play style. Spooner has 33 points in 61 games and is well on his way to another 40+ point season before he’s 26. If he’s not dealt in the next few months, he’ll be looking for a big upgrade in the summer on the $950K he’s currently earning.

Boston Bruins “More Likely Than Not” To Be Silent At Deadline

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For all the Boston Bruins fans out there that want to see Kevin Shattenkirk, Matt Duchene and any other rumored trade candidate in the black and yellow, you might just have to wait. GM Don Sweeney told the Boston Herald’s Stephen Harris that while still doing his due diligence on all the available options around the league, it is “more likely than not that [the Bruins] won’t make any deadline deals.”

That may frustrate fans, but perhaps there is a silver lining. Most of the trade rumors that have surrounded the Bruins in recent weeks have focused on Brandon Carlo or Charlie McAvoy heading the other way, something that the team just shouldn’t do. Those two look like locks to be half of their top-four for the next decade, covering both size (Carlo) and offense (McAvoy). Giving up on either of them right now might feel like an improvement, but could end up stinging down the road.

For now though, the Bruins sit tied with the Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division and the Islanders for the final wildcard spot, and have turned things around since firing Claude Julien and replacing him with Bruce Cassidy. The team has gone 5-1 since the switch and although some may credit the improved goaltending more than the coach, the team is in the hunt regardless.

To be sure, GMs and executives make claims like this quite often just to turn around and do the opposite when an opportunity presents itself. The Bruins could use some help up front and another top-four defender, and would likely jump if one came available at the right price. As it stands, Bruins fans can buckle down and get ready for the grind with this group, hoping the MVP-caliber performance of Brad Marchand continues and Zdeno Chara gets some of his mojo back.

“At Least One Other Team” Had Negotiations With Canadiens’ HC Claude Julien

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Following the Canadiens sudden hiring of head coach Claude Julien last week, we learned that several teams had reached out to the Bruins in hopes of securing an interview with their former head coach. Now, we’ve learned that at least one team (besides Montreal) was in negotiations with Julien.

“It was well known that the Boston Bruins had been asked by several teams to have permission to talk to Claude Julien,” reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. “One of the reasons Montreal had to move quickly was because there was at least one other team that was in negotiations with (him).”

What team was Julien talking to? Friedman believes it wasn’t the incoming expansion franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. Instead, the insider believes it was “somebody who has a coach right now. That’s one of the reasons Julien did so well financially.” Julien ultimately earned a five-year, $25M contract, and Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos says the coach will possibly be earning $12 million through the first two years.

Following a recent stretch that saw the team drop 10 of their past 13 games, the Canadiens decided to fire head coach Michel Therrien and replace him with Julien. The 56-year-old spent much of the past decade in Boston, where he led the team to seven playoff births and a Stanley Cup Championship. However, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and their 26-23 record led to Julien’s firing earlier this month.

Claude Julien Discusses New Job, Lineups, Bruins

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We’re all still recovering from the Canadiens shocking coaching changes earlier this week. We already heard GM Marc Bergevin discuss the decision to replace Michel Therrien with Claude Julien, and yesterday, we got to hear from the team’s new head coach.

During his conference call, Julien touch on a variety of subjects, including his relationship with the Canadiens organization and his firing by the Bruins’ front office. Thanks to Boston.com, Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette, and Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe, we were able to compile some of those notable quotes below:

On replacing Therrien:

I was a guy that was let go a little over a week ago. I know the feeling of when you’re let go. It’s not a fun feeling, it’s not something that you like to go through. We know how much it affects not just you, but your family. So I certainly want to talk about Mike Therrien, who I know is going through those same feelings right now.

“It’s not easy for me as a coach to come in here knowing that you’re replacing another coach who is going through the same things that you have. Mike is a good coach, I know from coaching against him he’s not an easy coach to try and match lines against, etc., and he’s done a great job there. So I want to wish Mike the best of luck because I know he’s a good coach and I know he’ll bounce back at some point.”

On whether he learned anything during his previous stint in Montreal:

I don’t know if there’s a lesson. I think it’s more about experience. I really didn’t feel even if it was my first job in Montreal … I really never felt that there was an issue as far as media pressure and everything else.

“Am I going to get criticized? Absolutely. There’s no place in this world of hockey that you don’t get criticized. That doesn’t matter to me. I think what matters to me is that I focus on my job, I don’t get bogged down by what some people call white noise. But I feel in my heart that I’m doing the right thing for my team. The rest I can deal with and that’s probably the experience of being in the league for so long that I’ll probably be able to handle even better now the second time around.”

On any game plan changes he may implement:

We’re going to play as a team, we’re going to play with some pace, we’re going to create some pride in all aspects of our game. All the other adjustments system-wise, I’m going make them, but you can’t come in the middle of the season and change everything.”

On his relationship with Bergevin:

He’s a good manager, a good man and it’s important for me to work for good people. I also spoke to (Canadiens owner Geoff) Molson and I realize I’m going to a good organization.”

On getting fired by Boston:

I’d been in the office the day before, really looking to fix things and get us back on the winning track. The next morning, I found out. It’s not a shocker, but I don’t think I was necessarily expecting it.”

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

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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.

Canadiens Fire Michel Therrien, Hire Claude Julien

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Following a recent stretch that saw the team drop 10 of their past 13 games, the Canadiens have decided to make a coaching change. The team announced that they have relieved head coach Michel Therrien of his duties and have hired Claude Julien as his replacement. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets that the rest of the coaching staff will be retained for the time being.

“I would like to sincerely thank Michel for his relentless work with the Montreal Canadiens over his eight seasons behind the bench, including the last five seasons when we worked together,” said general manager Marc Bergevin. “The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him. I came to the conclusion that our team needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction. Claude Julien is an experienced and well respected coach with a good knowledge of the Montreal market. 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.”

Therrien re-joined the organization back in 2012, and he led the team to the playoffs during his first three seasons. However, the team struggled last year, finishing with a .500 record for the first time since the 2011-2012 campaign. Bergevin made several bold moves this past offseason, and the team seemed to have regained their form, starting the campaign with a dominant 13-1-1 record. However, the squad has struggled recently, and despite sitting atop the Atlantic Division, their lead is quickly fading.

There were plenty of whispers that Therrien could find himself on the hot seat, as our own Mike Furland wrote yesterday. A number of teams recently saw an uptick in production following a coaching change, which perhaps added some fuel to the fire in Montreal.

This will be a reunion of sorts for Julien, who coached the Canadiens for 159 games in the early 2000s. The 56-year-old spent much of the past decade in Boston, where he led the team to seven playoff births and a Stanley Cup Championship. However, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and their 26-23 record this season led to Julien’s firing earlier this month. ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that the Canadiens asked the Bruins for permission to interview Julien on Sunday. In a subsequent tweet, LeBrun reports that multiple teams reached out to Boston in hopes that they could secure an interview with their former coach.

Ironically, this is the second time the organization has replaced Therrien with Julien, as the former head coach was replaced by the future Bruins head coach during the 2002-2003 season. Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec are the lone holdovers from Julien’s previous stint with the organization.

Snapshots: Carlo, Nyquist, Dumba

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After winning their last two games against the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks, the Boston Bruins are undefeated since firing their long-time head coach Claude Julien. While they’re certain to lose another game this season, the strong play into their bye week (which starts after taking on the Montreal Canadiens at home tonight) has them still in the thick of the playoff race and potential buyers at the trade deadline.

That’s what has Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon worried, as his latest column speaks to the dangers of trading young Brandon Carlo at the deadline for a short term boost. With Carlo’s emergence this season the Bruins might have a potential top pairing defenseman on their hands and should look no further than his defense partner for a reason not to deal him. Zdeno Chara was traded by the Islanders for immediate scoring help at the draft back in 2001, which looks like one of the worst trades in the team’s history. If the Bruins end up dealing him, they better be very sure that what they bring back can help the team for more than just the immediate future.

Garrioch’s Latest: Julien, Duchene, Hanzal, Hansen

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While some expect recently-fired coach Claude Julien to resurface as the head coach elsewhere, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun suggests in his latest Insider Trading column that he can afford to be ‘choosy’ about where he wants to go next which could delay a decision until sometime in the playoffs.  That would then allow him to see if any teams that get in but are ousted quickly make a change which might be a more desirable spot than going to a non-playoff team (or even the expansion Golden Knights).  He notes that Tampa Bay and Dallas could be a pair of teams that will ponder a change if things don’t improve by the end of the season.

As usual, Garrioch also has some notes on trade talk around the league.  The full column is worth a read but here are some of the highlights:

  • The Hurricanes are making a big push for Colorado center Matt Duchene. There could be a decent fit between the teams as Carolina has several strong young defensemen which is something the Avalanche are looking for in a potential return.  Garrioch adds that blueliner Noah Hanifin is someone that Colorado is asking for as part of a package for the 26 year old forward.
  • Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett will have a large say in the process when it comes to trading pending UFA center Martin Hanzal. The asking price remains very high from GM John Chayka and while plenty of teams remain interested, no one is willing to meet it just yet.  This certainly feels like a situation that’s going to come close to the wire as teams will hope to out-wait the Coyotes in the hopes that they will accept a lower offer at the deadline rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency.  The two sides have held extension talks earlier in the season but they weren’t able to get a new deal done.
  • If the Canucks ultimately decide to sell, winger Jannik Hansen is someone that several teams have interest in. His flexibility to play in different roles as well as a manageable $2.5MM cap hit should be attractive to some teams, especially those who may be tighter to the cap on March 1st.  As part of his modified no-trade clause, Hansen has to submit a list of eight teams he would accept a trade to which could potentially complicate things.  We took a closer look at his situation last week which includes a breakdown of some teams that Hansen would fit with if Vancouver decides to move him.
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