A bit like the presidents in the United States, the head coaches of the Montreal Canadiens wear their titles all their lives.
Claude Julien has chosen to stay away from the media eye since his dismissal on February 24. It was a matter of time, however, before he answered questions about his break with the organization.
In the past nine months, Claude Julien has, to our knowledge, granted only one interview. And it was to discuss his years at the Gatineau Olympiques with Sylvain St-Laurent, from Law.
Read Sylvain St-Laurent’s article
Just named at the head of the Canadian formation which will take part in two European tournaments in the coming weeks, Julien thus made his return, this Friday, in the public space. In this context, he calmly and candidly answered the questions, in the manner of one who has already been there.
“I’m not bitter, he said at the start. The Canadian has always treated me well. An affirmation, he said, which applies as much to his first passage behind the club bench, from 2003 to 2006, as to his second, from 2017 to 2021.
“I’ll never have anything bad to say about them,” he added. Let us mention in this regard that the Franco-Ontarian is still under contract with the team until the end of the season. He nevertheless wished to recall that “what happened is part of the job of coach”.
“Sometimes we get fired, so all you can do is take the next step. ”
Consequently, he does not rejoice in the misfortunes of the Habs this season, on the contrary. “Of course I don’t like to see what’s going on right now,” he says. I know the majority of the players; it’s a good group of players that we had last year and even before. You hope to see them be successful, you don’t like to see them unhappy. ”
The last few months away from the spotlight have allowed her to “make up” for lost time with her family, to “do the things that[il] love with her children ”. And also to “take a step back”.
Towards a return?
The “next step”, for Claude Julien, is the mandate he receives from Hockey Canada to lead the teams that will participate first in the Channel One Cup, in Russia, starting in mid-December, then in the famous Spengler Cup in Switzerland after Christmas.
However, its challenge could be even greater. The national federation does not hide that should the NHL players withdraw from the Beijing Olympics, the two tournaments in the coming weeks will serve as the audition for Canadian players playing in Europe. Julien could therefore, in just over two months, have gone from unemployed coach to leader of an Olympic team.
Hockey Canada therefore ensured the services of a prestigious candidate, not only because of his achievements in the NHL – his 667 victories put him at 15e rank in the history of the circuit – but also in its career on the international scene.
Julien was first assistant coach and then head coach of Team Canada Junior (in 1998 and 1999, respectively), before being invited as an assistant at the Senior World Championships (2006), the Olympic Games (2014) and at the World Cup (2016).
With this nomination, Hockey Canada protects its rear, of course, but Claude Julien also benefits from an exceptional showcase to remind the hockey planet that he wants (and can) still make a career behind a bench.
“For me, this is the opportunity to do something that I love,” he said of it, adding that “after twenty years behind an NHL bench, I don’t I don’t necessarily need to prove anything ”.
“I love what I do. I wish I had another chance ”in the NHL, he admitted.
Even though his name resurfaces every time a head coach position becomes available on the Bettman Tour, “none” of the “speculations” that have been heard over the past few months is true, he insists. he. “I’m involved with Hockey Canada right now. ”
Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of hockey operations with the federation, also indicated that Hockey Canada would not put the sticks in Julien’s wheels if an NHL offer came up. It would be surprising, however, for this scenario to materialize in such a short time, as the Channel One Cup kicks off in Moscow in three weeks.