Canadiens spit in the face of Bruins, hire Claude Julien as head coach

The Bruins – Canadiens rivalry hasn’t been as cut-throat in recent years but that changed in a hurry on Tuesday as Montreal fired head coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with former B’s coach Claude Julien.

Julien was out of work for just one week, as the Bruins dumped the coach that brought them the 2011 Stanley Cup during the Patriots’ victory parade throughout the streets of Boston.

“The decision to remove Michel from his coaching duties was a difficult one because I have lots of respect for him,” Montreal GM Marc Bergevin said. “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.”