Therrien thanks fans, wishes Canadiens luck in parting message

Michel Therrien broke his brief silence Thursday, two days after his surprising dismissal as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

He extended his gratitude to ownership and management, thanked the fans and media in Montreal, and wished the best to his successor, Claude Julien.

Here's his complete statement via TSN's Frank Seravalli, as translated by RDS.

First of all, I would like to thank the Montreal Canadiens organization, especially Geoff Molson and Marc Bergevin, for giving me the opportunity to have an exceptional experience over the past five years. The Montreal Canadiens have always been a great organization and the events of the last few days do not change my perception of this team and its leaders.

The coaching job in the NHL is a demanding job, rewarding in many ways but also quickly becoming ungrateful. When a team knows certain difficulties, every head coach knows that his job is at stake. I understand and accept this reality.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the supporters of Montreal and Quebec and the media. I also want to salute the coaches and staff, with who I have collaborated over the years, and especially the many players I have had the privilege of working with and running.

I leave my head high and am extremely proud of the work accomplished over the past five years. The existing team can aspire to top honors and I wish my colleague Claude Julien much success in the future.