Claude Julien lands new coaching job!

Claude Julien has landed a new coaching job.However, it won’t be with one of the NHL teams currently searching for a new bench boss, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, or Los Angeles Kings.

Instead, Julien is heading overseas. The veteran NHL coach has accepted the head coaching position with the Zurich Lions of Switzerland’s National League, marking the first time in his career that he will coach a professional team in Europe.

The move comes after Julien spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues. Earlier this spring, Blues president of hockey operations Doug Armstrong confirmed that Julien’s contract would not be renewed for the upcoming season.

At 66 years old, Julien remains one of the most accomplished coaches of his generation. Over the course of his NHL coaching career, he appeared behind the bench for 1,274 regular-season games, building a reputation as one of hockey’s most respected defensive-minded coaches.

Julien is perhaps best known for his lengthy tenures with the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. He coached the Canadiens for eight seasons and spent a decade leading the Bruins, guiding Boston to a Stanley Cup championship in 2011. He also served as head coach of the New Jersey Devils early in his NHL coaching career.

With several NHL teams currently looking for new leadership behind the bench, Julien’s name had occasionally surfaced in coaching discussions throughout the offseason. Instead, he has chosen a completely different path.

Now, one of the NHL’s most recognizable coaching figures will begin a new chapter in Switzerland, bringing decades of NHL experience to one of Europe’s premier hockey organizations.

It’s a surprising move, but it also offers Julien a fresh challenge after more than two decades spent coaching in the NHL.