After successful coaching stints in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the American Hockey League, Claude Julien was named head coach of the Canadiens on January 17, 2003, replacing Michel Therrien in that position.

Julien’s arrival behind the bench didn’t result in a playoff berth for the team, which finished 10th overall in the Eastern Conference.

Julien did get results the following season, though. Led by Jose Theodore’s 33 wins, Richard Zednik’s 26 goals and Mike Ribeiro’s 65 points, the team recorded 93 points in 2003-04 and qualified for the playoffs.

The seventh-seeded Canadiens pulled off a huge upset by beating the second-seeded Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Theodore and veterans Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev helped the Habs overcome a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Bruins in seven games.

In the second round, the Canadiens lost in four straight games to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who went on to win their first Stanley Cup.

Upon returning from the lockout that caused the cancellation of the 2004-05 NHL season, Julien’s team had an uneven first half with 19 wins in 41 games.

On January 14, 2006, Julien was fired by general manager Bob Gainey, who took over as the team’s interim coach through the end of the 2005-06 season.