The Montreal Canadiens are back in town after a successful road trip that saw them win four of six games of the new season.
Head coach Claude Julien, though, isn’t taking anything for granted — on or off the ice.
“It’s always meant a lot for me to be doing this,” Julien told reporters during a virtual press conference Tuesday. “I’ve never taken this job for granted especially, you know, feeling extremely fortunate that I’ve been doing it for this long.”
Julien was also referring to his health.
The 60-year-old was briefly sidelined last during the Habs’ playoff run after experiencing chest pain. But after undergoing a heart procedure to have a stent was installed in the coronary artery, Julien does feel fortunate.
“Having gone through what I went I went through this summer, in the bubble, it could have gone either way,” he said. “It could have been the last time I was behind the bench.”
Julien said he feels especially lucky to be behind the bench, even as the novel coronavirus pandemic continues.
“The reason I’m still doing it is because I love it,” he said. “I always enjoyed coaching and being part of a group so that hasn’t changed.”
Julien says that playing through a pandemic is a privilege and not something to be taken lightly.
“Everything that’s been going on and some people have been so unfortunate and have either lost their jobs or loved ones and everything else, we do consider ourselves lucky to be doing what we’re doing,” he said.
While the games won’t be played in front of an audience, Julien hopes they’ll bring some joy to Quebecers, many of whom have been living under varying degrees of lockdown since October.
“We embrace the opportunity to maybe help with the mental health of a lot of people,” he said. “You know, they’re locked in their homes and you can’t do much and yet hockey games excite them and gives them joy.
“We have an opportunity to do that and it is something that doesn’t go unnoticed on our part.”
The Habs will be suiting up against the Calgary Flames on Thursday for the season’s home opener.
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