Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien has been admitted to hospital with chest pains. It is not COVID-19 related.
Sportsnet insider Eric Engels reports that Julien began suffering the pains after Wednesday evening’s 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of their first-round matchup and was taken to hospital.
Julien, 60, is undergoing tests Thursday to determine his condition and is not expected back for the rest of the series. Associate coach Kirk Muller will take over behind the bench in Julien’s stead.
Game 2 of the Canadiens versus Flyers series takes place Friday afternoon, and we’ll see if the Habs — who were the final team to qualify for the NHL’s expanded 24-team format and upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers to get into the traditional 16-team playoffs — can rally around their bench boss.
Related: 2020 NHL Playoffs Qualifying Round Upsets Described in One Word
We at The Hockey Writers wish Julien the best and a speedy recovery.
Update – 08/14/2020
The Canadiens announced that Julien was returning home to Montreal following a procedure to stent a coronary artery. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Julien’s Coaching Career Long, Decorated
Julien is in his second stint as the Canadiens’ bench boss, returning to Montreal in February, 2017 after Michel Therrien was fired.
Prior to his return to Montreal — where he began his head coaching career in 2002-03 and served through January 2006 — he served as the Boston Bruins’ head coach between 2007-2017, leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2013.
Overall, Julien has amassed a 658-440-10-139 record as a head coach in regular season games and a 66-53 record in post season games.