Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin says that he will keep Claude Julien as head coach for next season.
Bergevin gave Julien his vote of confidence in interviews Tuesday on TVA and RDS from the NHL general managers' meeting in Boca Raton, Fla.
"Claude Julien will be at training camp in the month of September," Bergevin told RDS. "I believe in the message he's giving to our players. It's certain that the season we've had has been a difficult one. We all have to take responsibility, Claude, myself, the players. Our goal is, essentially, to be better in September next season so we can be in the playoffs."
Julien, who is in the third year of a five-year contract, is in the midst of his second stint as Habs head coach. He succeeded Michel Therrien partway through the 2016-17 season.
The Canadiens have a record of 30-28-9 while enduring two eight-game winless streaks this year.
Montreal is nine points out of both an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot and third place in the Atlantic Division.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2020.
The Canadian Press
