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BEIJING, China – Claude Julien reconnected with his team at the Beijing Olympics. And that’s not the only reason the Canadian men’s hockey team coach is grateful.
The 60-year-old made a surprise return to the team on Thursday after initially being unable to accompany the group to China. Hockey Canada revealed late last month that Julien fractured his ribs when he slipped on the ice during a “team building exercise” during training camp in Switzerland.
Although this description was accurate, it did not tell all the circumstances.
Julien detailed what happened, including the full severity of his injuries and the situation, to reporters on Friday.
“We went sledding,” he explained. It was icy, I went off the track with the sled, hit a tree and fractured my ribs. »
Julien went to the hospital for x-rays and was discharged with an initial diagnosis of bruised ribs.
“When I got back to the hotel, I started experiencing symptoms that indicated it was more serious than that,” he continued. We went back to the hospital and through a scan they found a fractured rib and I had a punctured lung. »
“They ended up taking me to another hospital where they were able to perform the operation. »
Julien, who won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year in 2009, guided the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 2011 and served as an assistant with the he 2014 Canadian Olympic team, who won gold in Sochi, described the pain he went through when he learned the team would have to leave without him.
“You have put in so much work to be ready, said Julien, who was fired by the Montreal Canadiens for the second time in February 2021. You feel ready to leave. »
“And it finally happened. »
Assistant coach Jeremy Colliton – the former Chicago Blackhawks coach – stepped in to fill his absence.
But Julien, who gave his deputy credit for executing the plan they had laid out, continued to watch the videos of the team’s practices and the mock game against the United States with the hope of make a return.
“The coaching staff did a great job getting involved and taking charge,” he said. The players were able to adapt. »
“It went much better than expected, just because of the personality of the group we have. »
Besides this incident in the Swiss resort of Davos, where Canada was preparing for the 2022 Games, this is the second time in less than 18 months that Julien has had to undergo emergency surgery.
He had been rushed to hospital in August 2020 after experiencing chest pain while the Canadiens were playing in the NHL playoff bubble in Toronto, and was later fitted with a stent (a stent ) in one of his coronary arteries.
The Orléans native, who led a total of 1,399 regular season and NHL playoff games, returned with the Canadiens in pristine condition to start the pandemic-abbreviated 2020-21 season, but he was fired when the team was going nowhere.
He agreed to lead Team Canada at two tournaments in December before Beijing and was prepared to lead the program at the Olympics if the NHL forfeited due to COVID-19 concerns – which came to fruition a few weeks later.
Julien thanked the doctors from Switzerland and Hockey Canada for allowing him to join the team in China.
“The care I received there, even after the team left, was exceptional,” he said. In fact, they really insisted that I come here. They were in touch with our medical staff and said, ‘We will do whatever it takes to get your trainer to join you.’ »
“What great teamwork. »
Turning his attention to Beijing, Julien arrived Thursday in time to witness Canada’s 5-1 win over Germany as the curtain-raiser for Group A games on an NHL-sized rink.
“We have players with the right physique, good skaters,” said Julien. It’s a smaller rink. We can thus offer the game to the Canadian. »
“I saw very good things. However, we must consider improving as the tournament progresses. »
Canada will face the United States (1-0) on Saturday – late Friday night at home – before facing China (0-1) on Sunday.
