Celebrating With Stanley: Claude Julien Enjoyed Cup With Family, Friends
BOSTON (CBS) - While the Bruins players spilled onto the ice at Rogers Arena in Vancouver in the seconds following June's Stanley Cup win, head coach Claude Julien watched for a time behind the bench before venturing onto the ice.
"I enjoy watching celebration from other people's eyes and I just wanted to stand there and kind of grasp the situation," he said.
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Julien took the same approach toward planning his Stanley Cup day in Boston.
"Most of the stuff that I have done with it has been for others, and that includes your family. We've tried to do some things with Katryna," he said.
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Katryna is Coach Julien's 6-year-old daughter. She accompanied her dad to the podium for his post-game championship news conference in Vancouver.
"It just sort of happened," he said. "She was in my arms and didn't want to get down, and the gentleman escorting me to the podium said it was alright if I brought her up with me."
It's one of Julien's favorite moments.
"When I look back at the video of that conference and see her sitting next to me, what a great souvenir that will be," he said.
Katryna Julien's favorite moment of Cup day was at breakfast. She ate her morning bowl of Cheerios from the Stanley Cup. Her mother, Karen, says it was Katryna's idea and nearly an entire quart of milk was needed to fill the bowl.
The Cup's next stop was Katryna's school, where she helped her dad carry the Cup to a waiting school assembly.
The Cup also made a two-hour stop at the local police station. Sgt. Paul Callahan was in charge of coordinating that visit. A 14-year Bruins season ticket holder, Callahan said the day was a dream come true.
The Juliens' neighbors had their chance to see the Cup in the Coach's backyard. Flora Ocampo-Abela waited in line and said, "It's such a great win for the city and for the fans, but there's also personal satisfaction for my friends."
Neighbor Joe Bailey was among the first in line.
"I made a beeline for it. Put my arm around it. Hugged it. It was just awesome," said Bailey.
Dan Chapman came from Ottawa and has known the Juliens for years.
"The sacrifices you have to make to be a coach. You've got 20 years of getting nowhere and making nothing, just to try to make it to the big show," Chapman said.
Karen Savoie, Claude's wife, offered this when asked what she'd like people to know about her husband.
"What people know about Claude is that he's hardworking, he's disciplined, he's fair. What people don't necessarily know about Claude is that he's got a big heart, he loves his family and he loves his community. He's a special man," she said.
As for winning the Holy Grail of Hockey, Coach Julien thinks it will really sink in when the Championship Banner goes up at the Garden.
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