Blues hire Claude Julien as assistant coach, promote Steve Ott to associate

The St. Louis Blues have made changes to their coaching staff, with the addition of NHL veteran coach Claude Julien and the promotion of Steve Ott as associate head coach. The announcement was made on Thursday by the team.

Julien, aged 64, last coached in the NHL in 2021 with the Montreal Canadiens. In St. Louis, he will serve as an assistant under Drew Bannister. Throughout his career, Julien has predominantly held head coaching positions in the league, accumulating 19 seasons of experience. He had stints with the Canadiens, the New Jersey Devils, and notably spent 10 years with the Boston Bruins from 2007 to 2017, leading them to win the Stanley Cup in 2011. Julien also had a second tenure with the Canadiens from 2016 to 2021.

Although Julien has not been behind an NHL bench for three seasons, he remained active in the hockey world, coaching Team Canada at the 2022 Olympics and the 2022 IIHF World Championship.

Julien has a preexisting relationship with Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and coaching adviser Ken Hitchcock. Last season, he worked as a pro scout for the Blues before accepting the assistant coaching position. His decision to take on this role reflects his eagerness to return to coaching. Julien had also expressed interest in the head-coaching position of the Ottawa Senators, which was ultimately filled by Travis Green.

Joining Julien in the coaching staff is Drew Bannister, who served as the interim coach last season, taking over from Craig Berube. Under Bannister’s guidance, the Blues achieved a record of 30-19-5. Following an offseason coaching search, Bannister’s interim tag was removed, and he was signed to a two-year contract.

The Blues had expressed their intention to add another coach to Bannister’s staff after the season. Alongside these changes, Steve Ott, a former Blues player and an assistant coach for the past seven seasons, was promoted to associate head coach. Ott’s contract was extended for one year, ensuring his presence on the coaching staff until the 2025-26 season. Assistant coaches Mike Weber and David Alexander also had their contracts extended for the same duration.

These two-year agreements align with Bannister’s contract and coincide with the expected transition of Alexander Steen assuming the role of general manager from Doug Armstrong.