Boston Bruins: Is It Time To Move On From Claude Julien?

Is It Time For The Boston Bruins To Move On From Claude Julien?

As the Boston Bruins struggle to right the ship, the Bruins are recognizing head coach Claude Julien’s record breaking 388th win with the Bruins. Just a two short weeks ago the Bruins were sitting in first in the Atlantic division with the playoffs just a couple of weeks around the corner. Now the Bruins sit in third in the Atlantic and are trying to find ways to get the team rolling again. Claude deserves praise and the ceremony that the Bruins gave him prior to the Florida Panthers game was great. That being said this team needs to look to the future and not the past.

Over the last several seasons some Bruins fans have called for the team to move on from Julien, now in his ninth season with the team he has had plenty of regular season success in Boston. Come playoff time this team has struggled mightily in most seasons with the exception of the 2011 season that saw the Bruins win the Stanley Cup and in 2013 when they made it to the finals and lost to the Blackhawks. Making the playoffs and getting bounced early became a trend in Boston.

The newest trend might be missing the playoffs all together though. Last season the Bruins faltered in the last month and missed the playoffs and the right to control their own fate in the last week of the season. This year is starting to resemble what happened towards the end of last season. The Bruins have to right the ship in order to make the playoffs, their poor play is coming at the worst possible time as this is generally the time you see teams start to ramp things up a bit.  The shortcomings of this Bruins team is not all coach Julian’s fault, but you have to wonder if it is time for a change of pace within the Bruins organization.

"“Ever since (Julien) came here, he kind of thought me to be a better player on both sides of the ice and really helped me develop as a leader as well off the ice,” Bergeron told reporters prior to puck drop against the Panthers. “He’s meant a lot to me and to a lot of guys in this dressing room.He deserves every recognition that he’s gotten over the years and probably more. He’s definitely the best coach I’ve ever had, and I owe him a lot. “He deserves that recognition (Thursday night). We’re happy that it’s happening and we’re trying to use that as motivation as well and be ready for a big game.”"

Claude has had plenty of success here and should be thanked for his time and effort into making this team an annual cup contender. But as the league changes around this team it is tough to see this team succeeding in the coming years with the aging core. The Bruins lack a true elite defense-men as Chara has declined in his old age, the Bruins have also struggled to produce offensively outside of the top 6. None of this is all Claude’s fault as he is just using the deck of cards he was dealt by Cam Neely and Don Sweeney. This team needs changes even if most fans cannot see it.

Next: Four Straight Losses Hurting Bruins Postseason Chances

So I ask my fellow Bruins fans and the team to consider one thing, is it time to move on? Maybe not after this season, could be one or two years down the road maybe after Chara retires. But it is time to start thinking about this before it is to late and this team falls deep into mediocrity.