Claude Julien said he intended to coach the Montreal Canadiens next season after undergoing heart surgery that caused him to leave the Stanley Cup playoffs before they were eliminated.
“I’ve recovered well, to the point that if we had won Game 6 on Friday I would have returned to the Toronto bubble on Saturday,” Julien said on Wednesday. “I feel good. I had a fear that turned out to be good in the end. I’m 100 percent ready to go back.”
Julien was hospitalized for chest pain after losing 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the first round of the Best of 7 Eastern Conference on August 12. He returned to Montreal after a stenting operation in Toronto’s Eastern Hub. The Canadiens were eliminated in six games under associate coach Kirk Muller.
“I was encouraged to go to the hospital,” Julien told Sportsnet about the events in Toronto. “So it was a decision I made and one that I’m very happy about, but I’m also happy that I had people around me who really encouraged me to go. You never tell which one Purpose it can be dangerous and never presents itself in this situation. “
Julien would return for the fifth season of his second stint as a Canadiens coach; He also coached her from 2002 to 2006. In seven seasons with Montreal, he’s 192-170-46 with 10 draws.
“Health and family are always a priority,” said the 60-year-old. “But I feel very comfortable with my return and my family too. My health is 100 percent; there is no reason why I can’t sit behind the bench or be afraid of anything again.”
The NHL has not announced a start date for the next season.
“I think there is probably a greater risk to my health if I have to resign because if you are prevented from doing what you love to do, it affects you mentally,” said Julien. “And right now I still feel full of energy. I still feel like I have a lot to offer and if that were taken away from me it would undoubtedly have a huge impact on me.”
In 17 seasons as NHL coach with the Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins, Julien is 658-440-148 with 10 draws. He is 13th in NHL history at victories and his 1,256 coached games are 18th. He coached the Bruins for the 2011 Stanley Cup and won the Jack Adams Award, which was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2009.
“I really appreciated the support. It helped me recover,” said Julien. “Whether from the coaches, people from the league or elsewhere, it was incredible. I want to thank everyone for helping me with this.”
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