TORONTO _ Claude Julien's surprise hiring as Canadiens coach on Tuesday afternoon certainly jolted the hockey world and also impacted the Islanders' world.
The Islanders had not requested permission from the Bruins to speak to Julien, who was fired by Boston on Feb. 7. But other teams had and the Canadiens stealthily moved to bring back a coach who was behind their bench from 2002-2006, when he also replaced Michel Therrien in a midseason move, as happened Tuesday.
But Julien was certainly on the Islanders radar for their coaching vacancy. Doug Weight has been a strong coach in the interim since Jack Capuano was fired on Jan. 17 but that likely wasn't going to preclude team management from talking to other candidates, as it did with Gerard Gallant earlier this season.
Now one of the marquee names is off the market. That could bode well for Weight, for Gallant or possibly for Ken Hitchcock, who is also available after being fired by the Blues last month.
