MONTREAL — Claude Julien says his first goal as the new Montreal Canadiens coach will be to “create some pride” in the slumping club as he returns behind the bench.

But Julien, who was hired Tuesday to replace Michel Therrien, said he plans to “fix and tweak” the team’s play, rather than make drastic changes, to guide it back to winning ways.

“We’re going to play as a team, we’re going to play with some pace, we’re going to create some pride in all aspects of our game,” he told reporters in a conference call from Boston. “All the other adjustments system-wise, I’m going make them, but you can’t come in the middle of the season and change everything.”

The Canadiens opened the season with a 13-1-1 mark but have been listless over the last two months and have a 2-6-1 record in their last nine games.

There was fear of another collapse like last season, when the club was in first place but missed the playoffs after star goalie Carey Price was injured.

Julien said his contract is for five years after the end of this season. It’s his second tour with the Canadiens, whom he coached from 2003 to 2006.

He said his original plan after being fired by the Boston Bruins last week in his 10th season as their coach was to wait until the spring before thinking about his future.

That changed when he received a call from Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, with whom he said he felt a “strong connection.”

“He’s a good manager, a good man and it’s important for me to work for good people,” he said.

Bergevin, who held a news conference earlier in the day, was quick to praise his new hire as a “superstar.” Julien led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup title in 2011 and also reached the Cup final in 2013.

“He’s the right man for the situation and for the long term,” Bergevin said at the Canadiens’ practice facility. “It’s a home run.”

And despite the speed with which the deal was reached, Bergevin said the decision to fire Therrien was based on Montreal’s results and not on Julien’s availability.

“There was something missing,” he said. “The team performance showed there was something not right and the change had to be made.”

Julien praised his new team and especially Price, whom he called “the best goalie in the world.” He said the club is solid on the back end but needs help with scoring.