Blues Shake Up Coaching Staff After Missing Playoffs

St. Louis parts ways with assistants Claude Julien and Mike Weber following a disappointing 2025-26 season.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 9:13am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fractured, multi-perspective hockey scene, with sharp planes of navy, royal blue, and silver colors representing the strategic changes within the Blues' coaching staff.The Blues' coaching staff shakeup aims to redefine the team's direction and recapture a playoff berth after a disappointing season.Rochester Today

The St. Louis Blues have announced that assistant coaches Claude Julien and Mike Weber will not have their contracts renewed after the team missed the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs. General manager Doug Armstrong cited the need to build a coaching staff better suited to lead the team moving forward.

Why it matters

The Blues' failure to reach the playoffs this past season was a significant disappointment for the organization and its fans. The coaching staff changes signal a desire to reevaluate the team's direction and make necessary adjustments to get the Blues back into contention.

The details

Julien, a veteran NHL head coach with a Stanley Cup championship on his resume, had been with the Blues since 2024. Weber was added to the staff in 2023 after previous assistant coaching roles in the AHL and OHL. Both coaches worked under head coach Jim Montgomery, who took over in November 2024. The organization is now expected to give Montgomery the opportunity to assemble his own coaching team.

  • The Blues finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 37-33-12 record, ending fifth in the Central Division and missing the Western Conference Wild Card spot by four points.
  • Julien joined the Blues in the summer of 2024, while Weber was added to the staff in the summer of 2023.

The players

Doug Armstrong

The general manager of the St. Louis Blues.

Claude Julien

A 65-year-old assistant coach who had been with the Blues since 2024, bringing extensive NHL head coaching experience including a Stanley Cup championship with the Boston Bruins in 2011.

Mike Weber

A 38-year-old assistant coach who joined the Blues' staff in 2023, with previous experience as an assistant in the AHL and OHL.

Jim Montgomery

The Blues' head coach, who took over in November 2024 and is now expected to have the opportunity to build his own coaching staff.

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What they’re saying

“I would like to thank Claude and Mike for their contributions during their time with the organization. With their contracts set to expire this summer, we wanted to give them the opportunity to move on to the next chapter of their coaching careers while we work to building a coaching staff that is best suited to lead our team moving forward.”

— Doug Armstrong, General Manager, St. Louis Blues

What’s next

The Blues will now work to assemble a new coaching staff under head coach Jim Montgomery, with the goal of returning the team to the playoffs next season.

The takeaway

The Blues' coaching staff changes come as a direct result of the team's failure to reach the playoffs this past season, a disappointing outcome that has prompted the organization to reevaluate its leadership and make necessary adjustments to get the team back on track.