Guy Carbonneau Heading to All-Star Game

As if the Montreal Canadiens didn't already have enough representation at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, now their coach will be there, too.

As already reported by Bleacher Report's very own Daniel Arouchain, Claude Julien was named the head coach for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

However, the assistant coach's job came down to either Washington Capitals head boss Bruce Boudreau or Canadiens bench boss Guy Carbonneau.

Boudreau was 27-13-3 with a .679 winning percentage while Carbonneau was 24-10-6 with a .675 winning percentage coming into action Saturday night, when the two teams met at the Bell Centre.

Not only were two points standing between two of the hottest teams in the East, but also a spot behind the bench at the upcoming All-Star Game was at stake at the very place where the two teams met—the Bell Centre.

It couldn't have come any closer as Sergei Kostitsyn netted the winner in the final minute of the game, securing Carbonneau's spot behind the bench with former Canadiens bench boss Julien.

The All-Star Game this season has come under more ridicule and controversy than any in the past, due to the voting schemes rigged by many fans of various teams—most notably the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Already, the Canadiens have four players starting in the Eastern lineup—Alex Kovalev, Mike Komisarek, Andrei Markov, and Carey Price. Now they will join their own coach in their home rink.

Perhaps, some of the above Canadiens do not deserve to be in the All-Star starting lineup—most notably Komisarek and Kovalev. Yet, Carbonneau grabbing the assistant coaching job for the game this season was well deserved and attained by other ways besides mere fan voting.

Now it comes down to the two coaches of the two teams that clashed in the first round last year to coach a team that is chock full of players from their very own teams.  The Boston Bruins are represented by three players and Montreal is represented by its starting four.

And is it not ironic that Julien is the coach with the current Canadiens coach in Montreal?

Wow, talk about irony.