St. Louis Blues Coaching Changes
The St. Louis Blues are undergoing a significant transformation of their coaching team as they embark on a new phase for the organization. Announced on Friday, the franchise revealed that assistant coaches Claude Julien and Mike Weber will not have their contracts renewed. General Manager Doug Armstrong expressed his gratitude towards Julien and Weber for their contributions while with the team:
“I would like to thank Claude and Mike for their contributions during their time with the organization,” said Armstrong.
He emphasized the importance of allowing them to pursue new coaching opportunities as their contracts are set to conclude this summer, indicating a desire to assemble a coaching staff that aligns more closely with the team’s future goals.
Coaching Backgrounds
Claude Julien, who is 65 years old, joined the Blues coaching staff in the summer of 2024. Under his guidance, the Blues recorded an overall performance of 81 wins, 63 losses, and 20 overtime losses in the regular season, culminating in a playoff appearance in 2025. Julien boasts over two decades of coaching experience, including head coaching roles in the NHL with notable teams such as the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Boston Bruins, with whom he captured the Stanley Cup in 2011.
On the other hand, Mike Weber, a 38-year-old Pittsburgh native, came aboard as an assistant in 2023 and helped the team amass a regular season record of 124-96-26 along with a playoff run in 2025. Before his tenure with the Blues, Weber served as an assistant with both the Rochester Americans in the AHL and the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL.
Future Coaching Staff
In November 2024, Jim Montgomery took over as head coach for Drew Bannister, retaining his assistant coaches until now but will soon have the chance to select his own staff, potentially candidates with whom he has prior relationships or new faces possessing relevant experience.
Season Wrap-Up
The Blues just wrapped up their season with a 5-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth, marking their fourth consecutive win. However, despite this late surge, the team fell just four points shy of qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Further details surrounding these coaching changes are expected to be discussed during the locker room cleanout on Saturday when Armstrong, Montgomery, and the players will address the media, marking the beginning of the off-season planning process.
