There’s always been this weird sense of mystery around coach Claude Julien’s contract with the Boston Bruins. I don’t think it’s ever been known -- or recently known, at least -- when his contract expired or when his new contract kicked in. So when Julien toyed with the Boston media when pressed about the report that he had signed a new contract with the club, that mystery seemed far from being debunked. That’s still the case, too, even with the confirmation that Julien is staying put by way of a new multi-year extension.
“This morning, Claude and I finalized the terms of a multi-year contract extension agreement for him. We have worked at this for a few months, but there was never any doubt in my mind that this would get done,… B’s general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed on Sunday afternoon. “Claude is one of the top coaches in the NHL and has consistently shown a passion for winning through his coaching. Coaching is a difficult profession at the best of times and what Claude does in implementing structure in his systems, and having a solid defensive foundation while allowing freedom in offensive play is no easy task.
“During his time with the Bruins, he has excelled in maintaining this difficult balance, and his longevity here speaks volumes,… Chiarelli added. “He has coached the Bruins to a Stanley Cup and a Cup Final appearance and our goal to win with him at the helm remains the same as we move forward.…
Behind the bench since 2007, Julien’s resume with the B’s speaks for itself.
Now in his eighth season with Boston, Julien’s won an impressive 317 of 553 games with the Bruins. They’ve also never missed the playoffs during his tenure, and they’re the only team in the league to make it to at least the second round of the postseason in five of the last six seasons. He’s led the Bruins to 100-point seasons in four of his six full seasons with the Bruins, won the Jack Adams Trophy in 2009, his work landed him a spot on Team Canada’s coaching staff in Sochi, and he even added a Presidents’ Trophy to his name in 2013-14.
Julien’s been a true players’ coach, though he’s also not afraid to call it like it is with his group.
“He’s a great coach, obviously his record shows, but he really makes it easy out there,… B’s winger Brad Marchand said of Julien. “He’s always working with guys and trying to improve a player’s game and I get along with him really well, and we have a good working and personal relationship so it’s been great.…
Marchand is in essence the posterboy of what Julien is as a coach, too.
Marchand is a pest, and everybody knows it. But he’s also a player that’s seen every side of Julien. From No. 63 skating as a babyfaced rookie to his development into a top six winger, he’s been benched, rewarded, called out, and trusted by a B’s bench boss that knows how to push the right buttons with his guys.
“We both have a job to do and we’ve had to have numerous talks over the years about different things, and it’s always strictly professional in that sense, and if there’s something I need to improve upon he’ll let me know,… Marchand said of Julien. “He’s not scared to pull me aside at any point and talk to me about my game and different things. As soon as the meeting’s over we let it go and we can joke around, so it’s really good.…
As a coach, Julien’s worked his way through cap-hell before (2009-10), and even survived the Bruins’ second-round collapse to the Philadelphia Flyers, but there’s no doubt that 2014-15 has likely presented the coach with the biggest challenge of his B’s career. With almost no money to work with, and with significant injuries making an impact throughout the lineup, Julien has once again been asked to work his magic.
Some beloved job security allows him to focus on just that, I suppose.