The Montreal Canadiens have fired coach Michel Therrien and hired Claude Julien to replace him.
Julien was just fired as coach of the Boston Bruins last week. Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin made the announcement Tuesday, two days into his team’s bye week.
The Canadiens are the NHL’s worst team since the start of January and lost 4-0 to the Bruins on Sunday. They next play Saturday against Winnipeg.
Therrien was in his fifth season of his second tour of duty as Canadiens coach. They missed the playoffs last season after goaltender Carey Price injured his knee in November.
Julien returns to Montreal, where he coached from 2003-2006. He won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011 and was the longest-tenured coach until last week.
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
