The Don Sweeney-led Boston Bruins made the decision today to retain head coach Claude Julien and his staff for the 2015-16 season.
A down year in 2014-15 led to Sweeney's predecessor, Peter Chiarelli, being relieved of his duties, but it seems the changes at the top of the Bruins organization will stop there, as Sweeney announced Friday at the NHL scouting combine that Julien and his staff would return for another season.
Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe had reported the likely move on Thursday and Sweeney confirmed on Friday, via Joe Haggerty of CSN New England.
Julien did his best to helm a Bruins team beset by injuries and rapid aging in 2014, but it wasn't enough as Boston missed the playoffs for the first time in his eight-year Bruins tenure.
He has led the Bruins to two Stanley Cup Finals, emerging victorious in 2011.
In 622 NHL games behind the bench, Julien has won 351 times.
The Bruins tough cap situation will likely keep Sweeney busy this offseason, but he's at least gotten the first order of business out of the way, confirming after about two months of uncertainty, that Julien will indeed be back.
