On Tuesday, the Boston Bruins fired Stanley Cup winning coach Claude Julien in the middle of his tenth season.
Julien was the longest tenured coach in the N.H.L. with a 419-246-94 record, along with two trips to the Stanley Cup finals.
Rumors about Julien's fate have swirled for weeks, but on Tuesday, the day of the New England Patriots Super Bowl parade, the Bruins front office made the move. Assistant coach Bruce Cassidy has been named the interim head coach.
Once the firing was announced Buffalo Sabres fans sounded off on Twitter about their desire to bring Julien to Buffalo.
Sabres should hire Claude Julien by lunch time today.
— SJL (@JimmyLomez) February 7, 2017
The sabres should fire Bylsma immediately and hire Claude Julien #Sabres
— Fire Kelly (@JoshChilcot) February 7, 2017
sabres need to fire bylsma and hire claude julien immediately
— Adam Hains (@adrock34) February 7, 2017
Bring Claude Julien to the Sabres. I would take that guy over any coach in the NHL
— Justen (@notjustensweet) February 7, 2017
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just don't see it happening. Terry and Kim Pegula already fired one head coach after only two years a few months ago, if they do that again it would raise plenty of eyebrows.
That doesn't mean that I don't think Julien is a great coach, I just don't see General Manager Tim Murray or the Pegula's making the move.
Current Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma has been criticized plenty this season, but are the Sabres struggles entirely his fault?
I don't think they are, and while he absolutely deserves some of the blame, he's had to play with an injury depleted lineup for basically the entire season. Good coaches make adjustments, just look at Bill Belichick without Rob Gronkowski, but the injuries this year have been ridiculous.
That being said, can you find some line combinations that would and just leave them alone, Disco Dan?
I really like Julien and think he'll find a job sooner rather than later, but It's not time to give up on Bylsma just yet.
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