Bruins sign Claude Julien to contract extension

Photo: Brian Babineau via NHLI/Getty Images

In what was perhaps the most welcoming news over the past month riddled with injuries and tough losses, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli announced on Sunday that they have signed Head Coach Claude Julien to a multi-year contract 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. Claude is one of the top coaches in the NHL and has consistently shown a passion for winning through his coaching, ” Chiarelli said. “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. 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.”

The Bruins have advanced to the playoffs in all of the eight seasons he’s been with the Bruins. He won a Stanley Cup Championship with the Bruins in 2011 - the first Stanley Cup for Boston in 39 years – and coached the team into another Stanley Cup Finals the following year. In 533 games, Julien has a .632 win percentage, with a 317-171-65 record. He has the second longest tenure with the Bruins, only behind the Red Wing’s Mike Babcock, who has been with Detroit for ten years.

Under Julien’s leadership, the Bruins are the only team to have made it to, at least, the post-season’s second round in the last five out of six seasons. Julien holds the record for playoff games won (57), and the team falls just underneath Chicago for most post-season wins in the last six seasons (Boston with 53, Chicago with 57). Last season, Julien’s coaching made the 2013-14 Boston Bruins the Presidents’ Trophy winners.

As for his own personal accomplishments, Julien can list the 2008-09 Jack Adams Trophy (league’s top coach), 2008-09 NHL Coach of the Year from The Sporting News, a Bronze medal as head coach of Team Canada in the 2000 World Junior Championship, a Silver medal as an assistant coach for Team Canada in the 1999 World Juniors, and a Gold medal as an assistant coach for Team Canada in the 2014 Olympic Games.

With all that he’s accomplished, the years ahead seem to hold good things for the Boston Bruins under the leadership of the one and only, Claude Julien.

Via NHL Bruins


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