Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin speaks after firing Therrien, hiring Julien

The general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Marc Bergevin, spoke publicly for the first since firing head coach Michel Therrien and hiring Claude Julien on Tuesday.

This is the second time Julien, 56, has been named head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, also replacing Therrien back in 2003.

“I reached the conclusion that we were at a turning point for our team and that’s why I decided to make this change,” Bergevin said.

“I’m convinced that in hiring Claude Julien we are getting one of the best coaches in the NHL.”

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READ MORE: Claude Julien appointed head coach of Montreal Canadiens

Since the beginning of February, the Canadiens have lost six games and have only come away with one win.

Their most recent game was a 4-0 loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins.

WATCH: Ongoing coverage of Canadiens head coaching shakeup

1:10 Timeline: Montreal Canadiens coaches over the years

• Timeline: Montreal Canadiens coaches over the years
• Habs GM believes they have a ‘superstar’ in Claude Julien
• Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin explains his decision to fire Michel Therrien and hire Claude Julien
• Habs GM doesn’t think the Canadiens have leadership problems
• Montreal Canadiens fire head coach Michel Therrien, hire Claude Julien
• Montrealers react to the new Habs coach
• Habs GM Bergevin says he’s not willing to sacrifice top prospect in short term
• Meeting with players was not about Michel Therrien: Habs GM Bergevin

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“We were just not playing our game, we were not the same team as we were earlier on,” Bergevin said.

“There was something missing and the team performance showed that there was something not right and the change had to be made.”

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WATCH BELOW: Montrealers react to the head coach switch

0:31 Montrealers react to the new Habs coach

Bergevin had asked for permission from the Bruins to speak with Julien; however, he would not disclose when that took place.

“His track record speaks for itself,” Bergevin said. “He’s been here before as a rookie coach, he left and won a Stanley Cup in Boston.”

READ MORE: Montreal Canadiens most viewed NHL team on Twitter so far this season

Julien has coached 997 regular season games in the NHL (Montreal, New Jersey and Boston), including the last 10 seasons with the Bruins (2007 to 2017); he was relieved of his duties on Feb. 7.

The Canadiens next game is Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets.