After Firing From Bruins, Rival Canadiens Hire Claude Julien

Just one week after the Bruins fired head coach Claude Julien, he has a new job — with Boston's chief rivals.

The Montreal Canadiens announced Tuesday that Julien had been hired as their head coach — and that Michael Therrien had been fired from that position.

The Bruins fired Julien a week earlier, apologizing for the timing of the announcement — during the Patriots' Super Bowl parade.

The Bruins were 26-23-6 at the time of Julien's termination. They have since won three in a row under interim coach Bruce Cassidy, including a 4-0 victory Monday night over the Canadiens.

The Habs, however, lead the Atlantic Division. They are fifth overall in the conference standings with a 31-19-8 record under Therrien.

Julien had served as the Bruins' head coach since 2007. Disappointing playoff finishes, including blowing a 3-0 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2009-10 season, led to heavy fan criticism. He quieted the detractors when he led the team to a Stanley Cup victory over the Vancouver Canucks a year later. Still, his coaching style has led to fan criticism over the years.

This will not be Julien's first stint in Montreal. He coached the Habs in parts of three seasons between 2002 and 2006.

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