Head coaching change official as Claude Julien returns to the hockey world
Claude Julien is heading overseas as head coach, and Claude Julien won't be taking one of the open NHL jobs after all.
That's the real twist here.
His name had floated around openings tied to teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Los Angeles Kings.
Instead, Julien has accepted the head coaching job with the Zurich Lions in Switzerland's National League. It's the first time he'll coach a pro team in Europe.
That makes this more than a routine hire. It closes the door, at least for now, on a quick NHL return for one of the league's most familiar bench bosses.
Julien had spent the last 2 seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues.
Earlier this spring, Blues president of hockey operations Doug Armstrong confirmed Julien's contract would not be renewed.
At 66, Julien still carries real weight around the game.
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He coached 1,274 regular-season games in the NHL and built his reputation on structure, detail, and a tough defensive standard.
Why this move stands out for Claude Julien
This isn't a ceremonial stop or a soft landing.
Zurich is one of Europe's top organizations, and Julien walks in with a serious résumé and instant credibility behind the bench.
Most fans still connect him to the Boston Bruins first.
That run included the 2011 Stanley Cup and cemented him as one of the defining coaches of that era.
His long stretch with the Montreal Canadiens added even more to that profile.
Julien also coached the New Jersey Devils earlier in his NHL career, giving him reach across multiple markets and locker rooms.
What makes this development interesting is the timing. Several NHL clubs are still sorting through major coaching decisions, and Julien could have stayed in that mix.
He chose a different road. That says plenty about where he is in his career and what kind of challenge still matters to him.
For Zurich, it's a statement hire. For Julien, it's a clean new chapter far from the usual NHL carousel, but not far from the spotlight.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 2, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | - | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||