Julien looking to next season
Habs coach says he’s healthy, excited to get back behind bench after heart scare
Claude Julien expects to be behind the Canadiens’ bench whenever the NHL resumes regular-season play this winter.
Julien had to leave the playoff bubble in Toronto this month after he experienced chest pains after Game 1 of the first-round series against Philadelphia.
“One of my arteries was partially blocked and they needed to put in a stent,” Julien said during a media conference call Wednesday. “I couldn’t have asked for better treatment at St. Michael’s Hospital. The entire procedure was done by one o’clock that afternoon and I was released the next day.”
Julien left little doubt that he planned to resume coaching.
“In fact, had we won that Friday night in Game 6, I was on my way back to Toronto for that four-day quarantine and would have been ready for the next round.”
Doctors have told Julien they expect him to make a full recovery.
“The doctors told me that, heartwise, I’ll be back at 100 per cent and that’s the way I feel right now.”
Julien talked about the importance of coaching in his life.
“Not everybody gets to do a job they love.” he said. “A lot of people work because they have to work and they don’t always get to pick and choose. I’ve had to earn this job but every day I get up, I’m going to work, not because I have to, but because I want to.
“Obviously, my wife and family see this because they see I’m happy at home (and) they’re supportive,” Julien said. “At the end of the day, I would never put myself in jeopardy of risking my life doing something I love just because I want to do it. There’s been a lot of thought and discussion about whether I go back or not, but I want to reassure everybody that I’m feeling 100 per cent.
“There’s probably a bigger risk to my health if I had to step down because, when you’re prevented from doing what you love doing, that obviously has a mental impact,” Julien added “Right now, I feel energetic and I feel I have a lot to offer and if that was taken away from me, it would have a huge impact on me.”
Julien said the Canadiens are planning to build on their surprise showing in the NHL Return to Play tournament.
The No. 1 priority will be to get some help for Carey Price.
“We all saw how well Carey can play when he’s well-rested,” said Julien, who noted that a number of teams that are doing well have two capable goaltenders.
The addition of Alexander Romanov will add depth to a defence corps, which Pittsburgh and Philadelphia had in the playoffs.
The emergence of 21-year-old Nick Suzuki and 20-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi bodes well for the future, but it also creates some problems in finding enough ice time to keep everyone happy.
Earlier this week, Phillip Danault expressed his displeasure about being relegated to a more defensive role.
“If you have players who are worried more about themselves than the success of the team, that becomes an issue,” Julien said. “You have players who are willing to come in and do what’s best for the team, and that’s what Phil has done. If he can be a good two-way centreman, we’re in good shape here.”
Julien went on to say: “I’m not telling Phil not to score.”