Claude Julien hopes to ‘create some pride’ in struggling Canadiens
MONTREAL — Claude Julien says his first goal as the new Montreal Canadiens coach will be to “create some pride” in the slumping club as he returns behind the bench.
But Julien, who was hired Tuesday to replace Michel Therrien, said he plans to “fix and tweak” the team’s play, rather than make drastic changes, to guide it back to winning ways.
“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,” he told reporters in a conference call from Boston. “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.”
The Canadiens opened the season with a 13-1-1 mark but have been listless over the last two months and have a 2-6-1 record in their last nine games.