The Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Claude Julien for the second time on Wednesday following their third consecutive loss. 

After starting off the season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL, the Habs have since gone the other direction and decided to make the bold move of firing the veteran coach and replacing him with assistant coach Dominique Ducharme on an interim basis. Longtime associate coach Kirk Muller was also let go while former NHLer Alex Burrows was added to the staff.

Here's a closer look at the numbers behind Montreal's downfall. 

After scoring in bunches to start the season, including nine goals in the first 10 games from newly acquired forward Tyler Toffoli, the Habs have been in a drought recently. Their goals-per-game average is just one statistical category that has taken a hit in the lead up to Julien's firing on Wednesday. 

1-10 Games 11-18
7-1-2  Record   2-4-2
 4.4 Goals For/Game  2.1 
2.6  Goals Against/Game  3 
 23.7% PP%  5.9% 
79.5%  PK%   71.4%

The 60-year-old Julien first coached the Canadiens for parts of three seasons in the early 2000s before being fired halfway through the 2005-06 campaign. He spent a season behind the bench with the New Jersey Devils before joining the Boston Bruins in 2007 for a decade-long run, winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Julien took over as Montreal's head coach for a second time in February of 2017, replacing Michel Therrien. He led the Habs to the playoffs twice in four seasons, but they were eliminated in the opening round both times.

So, who will replace the veteran behind the bench in Montreal? 

Ducharme will take over duties on an interim basis. The 47-year-old will be the fifth youngest coach currently in the NHL, behind Chicago's Jeremy Colliton (36), Toronto's Sheldon Keefe (40), Ottawa's DJ Smith (43) and Nashville's John Hynes (46). 

The native of Joliette, Quebec joined the Habs in 2018 after spending 10 seasons in the QMJHL, including seven as head coach of Halifax Mooseheads and Drummondville Voltigeurs. 

By The Numbers: Dominique Ducharme

  • Ducharme had a total record of 267-169-24 over 476 games coaching in the QMJHL.
  • His best season came in 2012-13, posting an incredible 58-6-3-1 record which earned him the league's Coach of the Year award.
  • Captured the Memorial Cup in 2013 with Halifax.
  • Led Team Canada at the 2017 and 2018 World Junior Championship, winning silver and gold respectively.