Claude Julien - NJD History

[frozenrubber]

Did any additional information ever surface from Lou Lamiorello's reason for firing Julien in 2007?

Lou's quote at the time:

"I don’t think we were ready both mentally and (physically) to play the way that is necessary going into the playoffs."

Locker room mutiny? Clash with certain players? Always wondered if any add'l information leaked.

Click to read more...

 

[njdevil26]

From what I can remember I think John Madden fired a puck at him at practice to test him and nothing really happened. He completely lost the room and was fired even though they were second in the conference at the time.

Obviously pretty much no one other than Zajac is still here from that season including the front office but I doubt he would want to come back here.

 

[Burner Account]

From what I can remember I think John Madden fired a puck at him at practice to test him and nothing really happened. He completely lost the room and was fired even though they were second in the conference at the time.

Came here to post this

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

From what I can remember I think John Madden fired a puck at him at practice to test him and nothing really happened. He completely lost the room and was fired even though they were second in the conference at the time.

Obviously pretty much no one other than Zajac is still here from that season including the front office but I doubt he would want to come back here.

You took the words out of my mouth.

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

I thought it was Gomez that fired the puck at Julien???

 

[njdevil26]

I always thought Madden... but could it have been Gomez? I've seen both mentioned.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

I thought it came out during Gomez's last stint with the Devils that it wasn't him who fired the puck at Julien, but it doesn't really matter too much. Main point is someone fired a puck at him.

 

[Camille the Eel]

correct me, that year we then beat Tampa Bay in the first round and then lost in the second round with Lou behind the bench?

That was the second time Lou moved the coach in the days before the playoffs. Previously I think Robbie Ftorek was let go for Robinson and we went on a playoff run and won the cup.

 

[Wingman77]

Here is some info in the news after the Devils hired Sutter about the puck shooting incident;

With Lamoriello attending to administrative duties and therefore absent from his usual perch at the rink, one of the veterans intentionally shot a puck at Julien during a drill to test how the coach would respond. The story goes that when Julien refused to confront the athlete or even acknowledge the overt act of disrespect, the players concluded that the head coach would have to go, and essentially fired him.

http://nypost.com/2007/07/15/sutter-gives-devils-a-shot/

 

[Bologna 1]

it was madden. 100% sure.

 

[Bleedred]

Gomez seems like he'd pull some kind of a prank on Julien, since he's a goodball.

But not shoot a puck at him.

Gomez already has his foot out the door a year earlier anyway. Madden makes the most sense. Sounds like something Langs would do, just not at that time obviously. Maybe if it was the last couple of Lemaire tenures.

 

[Jets012]

eh past is in the past.

I'd fire Hynes right now in a second for him lol. He would at least be having us play a structured system. And he has overachieved with marginally talented players.

 

[tr83]

What caused Julien to lose the room? Was it just accountability only?

 

[Zippy316]

eh past is in the past.

I'd fire Hynes right now in a second for him lol. He would at least be having us play a structured system. And he has overachieved with marginally talented players.

If Julien was fired a month ago, I would agree.

But Hynes has turned it around and got the Devils playing some of their best hockey in years.

 

[NJDevs26]

Even Lou never fired guys in the middle of winning streaks lol...well except Julien ironically. What annoyed me about the Julien season was it seemed we'd (fans and Lou) reached a point where winning was no longer enough, now it was about demanding perfection or else. I mean the fact we were 47-24-8 when Julien was fired was just absurd. I know Ftorek was fired when they were still in first place too, but they lost like ten of fifteen and were getting blown out on a regular basis at that time, he'd clearly lost the room. Unfortunately one of the side effects of winning the Cup that season is it made fans and Lou even more willing to throw the coach overboard at the first sign of turbulence.

And yeah the Madden/Gomez/whatever thing was the straw that broke the camel's back, and because of that it seemed as if the team looked at Julien as an empty suit with no personality to begin with, which is the way fans saw him too.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I was so ready for that guy to be fired.

He completely lost the team and it was clear we were going nowhere that playoffs.

 

[Better Call Sal]

The good old days of Julien Ball. 1-0 lead 5 minutes into the first, time to clamp down!

 

[njdevil26]

What caused Julien to lose the room? Was it just accountability only?

I essentially blame this team of coach killers anyway. Seriously we can't keep a guy here. Almost gave Larry Robinson a stroke. It was so bad here, we made Brent Sutter miss rural Alberta.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If Julien was fired a month ago, I would agree.

But Hynes has turned it around and got the Devils playing some of their best hockey in years.

Yeah that would be a terrible move at this juncture. We are past the point of making a change for change's sake, and Julian isn't the coach of the future.

Best hockey in years is a real stretch though.

 

[frozenrubber]

I essentially blame this team of coach killers anyway. Seriously we can't keep a guy here. Almost gave Larry Robinson a stroke. It was so bad here, we made Brent Sutter miss rural Alberta.

If Pete DeBoer was found dead, I'm certain BleedRed would of been on the police's list of suspects.

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah that would be a terrible move at this juncture. We are past the point of making a change for change's sake, and Julian isn't the coach of the future.

Best hockey in years is a real stretch though.

Definitely don't agree with best hockey in years. We played better in October and the first part of November. We've also still been prone to duds like that recent Calgary game. We have eliminated the more embarrassing games, like that Canadiens game from earlier this year. I've said all along, it's too early to fire Hynes, but it's also even earlier to offer him an extension past next year.

I would fire him for Sutter if he hypothetically became available though.

If Pete DeBoer was found dead, I'm certain BleedRed would of been on the police's list of suspects.

I didn't do it mate!

 

[Jets012]

If Julien was fired a month ago, I would agree.

But Hynes has turned it around and got the Devils playing some of their best hockey in years.

To be fair, I never said I would fire Hynes right now. That's just unrealistic. I was talking hypothetically.

All I'm saying is, if we finish with a top 8 pick this off-season, I wouldn't hesitate to fire Hynes after the season if Julien was available.

 

[Wingman77]

Vegas could very well target Julien

 

[Bleedred]

To be fair, I never said I would fire Hynes right now. That's just unrealistic. I was talking hypothetically.

All I'm saying is, if we finish with a top 8 pick this off-season, I wouldn't hesitate to fire Hynes after the season if Julien was available.

Julien is definitely a better coach than Hynes, I'm not sure if I'd fire Hynes just to hire him though. I wouldn't hate it either though.

If Sutter becomes available, I'd show Hynes the door at the snap of a finger.

Vegas could very well target Julien

I think he'll have better options than that though.

I could see a team looking to hire him pretty soon, especially if another position opens up. I'm not saying it will happen, but I could see another coach fired in the coming days and Julien getting hired there. Much like when Washington fired Boudreau, then a day or two later, Anaheim fired Carlyle and immediately hired Boudreau.

Wouldn't be surprised if it's Buffalo and Disco Dan gets the boot. The Sabres did win tonight, but Carlyle and the Ducks won on the night he was fired by them and they hired Boudreau.

 

[markog]

Vegas could very well target Julien

I think Florida would be a perfect match as they are primed to make runs at the Cup in next few years.