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Michel... Sont "PAS" des mots qui vont très bien ensemble

Big Kaluwski
Feb 15, 2017
2 min read

Driving into the office this morning, the Beatles song "Michelle" was playing, and I couldn't help but think of Michel Therrien. Particularly how the words "Therrien" and "Montreal" definitely don't go well together.Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens fired Therrien, and re-hired ex- Hab coach Claude Julien. (On Valentine's day of all days.. How cute!!)

Personally I think this a great move by the Habs. I have never been a fan of Therrien. I think his way of coaching is very outdated, and "robotic" in a sense. Things are very cut and dry with him. If he doesn't like a player, then that player is pretty much screwed. He is not able to adapt or adjust. What you see if what you get with Therrien.

I am not saying Therrien is a terrible coach. If you look at his record while with the Montreal Canadians he was W 194 L 121 OTL 33. He is even had a 50 win season in 2014-15. However he is not a coach that is going to lead his team to a Cup win. Look at his time with the Penguins. Yes he led the Pens to the Cup final in 2007-08. However, the following year, they fired him. Obviously there was some division within the team, or Therrien would have stayed on as coach there. Funny how the Penguins won the Cup the following year.

Then there was the way that Therrien treated P.K. Subban. It just never felt that the two got along. It felt like a fractured relationship. In essence, I felt Therrien was the prime reason for the Subban trade to Nashville. It seemed either Subban would be traded, or Therrien would be fired. Bergevin decided to keep Therrien, and got rid of Subban..... A move that am I still not sure will pay off.

Now the ex-coach Julien comes back for a second round with Montreal. I am actually surprised that Julien decided to come back to coach in Montreal. It's a happy surprise though, and I feel a bit giddy now. I am excited for Habs fans, and excited for Julien. He knows the Montreal market, and he knows how to win.

The big question is whether the team will respond? I am sure for the first 5-10 games, the Habs will be on a high. They will probably play their best hockey of the season. It just will be interesting if they can carry that on for the rest of the year. I feel this is just one of many big moves Montreal will make. Expect Bergevin to be a very busy man at the trade deadline.

I will end with this....