Former Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien, fired after nearly five seasons with the team, reacted to his dismissal for the first time Thursday.
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In a statement, Therrien thanked the Canadiens organization, particularly president Geoff Molson and general manager Marc Bergevin.
He also wrote of the pitfalls of coaching in the world’s top hockey league.
“The job of coaching in the NHL is a demanding job,” the statement reads.
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Therrien also mentioned the positive side of the job.
“The Montreal Canadiens have always been a great organization and the events of recent days do not in any way change my feelings about this team and its management,” he wrote.
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Therrien ended his statement by saying he leaves the Canadiens “with my head held high, extremely proud of the work accomplished in the past five years.”
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He wished good luck to successor Claude Julien, who is replacing Therrien as Habs head coach for a second time.
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