Claude Julien reached personal milestone this week

History was made this week — on the ice.

Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien reached a personal milestone on Monday as the Boston Bruins improved to 7-5 and beat the Buffalo Sabres. Sure, it was a win, but the real significance was the fact that it was Julien’s 400th career win as the Boston Bruins head coach. It was his 716th game coaching the team.

It might also be worth noting Julien became the winningest coach in Bruins history last year. In his ninth season as the Bruins head coach, the 10-year Bruins coach surpassed Art Ross’ 387 career wins during his tenure leading the Bruins. Except it took Ross 17 seasons to amass that mark. It took Julien a lot less time to do a lot more.

What’s unfortunate for him is that he probably won’t surpass Tom Johnson’s mark for best winning percentage in his three-year tenure as the Bruins head coach. That guy won 68.2 percent of the time. Julien’s winning percentage is a whole ten points behind that.

It honestly seems weird to think Julien is the guy at the helm of the Bruins and has been for the past decade. If anyone had to guess 12 years ago, they probably would have thought Marshfield’s own, Mike Sullivan, would be the Bruins coach for a very long time. New management put a pin in that one though and in his first year back as an NHL head coach, he went ahead and led a team to a Stanley Cup which makes you wonder if the Bruins made a huge mistake.

But honestly, Julien has been fine as a head coach. There has not been a problem with him at all. His style works in Boston and his job doesn’t come into question much. That’s key — even if they have disappointed a couple times in a row.