Paul Maurice has been across the NHL for a really very long time, which might make it appear to be he’s older than his 57 years.
The Florida Panthers head coach has been behind NHL benches for therefore lengthy, his first teaching job within the league was with the Hartford Whalers in 1995 when he was 28 years outdated.
Maurice stayed with the franchise throughout its transfer to Carolina, not getting a lot playoff expertise because the crew was bounced within the first spherical or missed out totally over his first six seasons in cost. They made the Stanley Cup Closing in 2002, however misplaced to a Detroit Red Wings crew stuffed with future Corridor of Famers.
Playoff success would elude Maurice as he moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs for 2 seasons after which again to Carolina for one more 4 years. After a 12 months in Russia and the KHL, he took on the Winnipeg Jets job and turned the franchise round. However after 4 consecutive playoff appearances, he stepped down on Dec. 17, 2021, citing a necessity for the dressing room to have a brand new voice and that he gave the franchise all he may.
Maurice was solely 54 when he left the Jets, however he was an skilled 54-year-old. Regardless of that, he was prepared for that to be the top of his teaching profession, if that is how life performed out.
The break from hockey wasn’t very lengthy, nevertheless. After a couple of “phenomenal days of fishing” that summer time, Maurice modified his thoughts after receiving a name from Panthers common supervisor Invoice Zito.
Zito’s solely purpose for calling was to gauge Maurice’s curiosity in returning behind an NHL bench, not trying to outright supply him the job throughout their first dialog. “After which we begin speaking hockey, and that was it,” Maurice stated throughout Friday’s Stanley Cup Closing Media Day.
Not lengthy after, Maurice was hired. On the time, the Panthers had just one playoff sequence win since they reached the 1996 Stanley Cup Closing.
It wasn’t a fantastic first common season underneath Maurice. The Panthers earned 30 fewer factors and 16 fewer wins than their 2021-22 Presidents’ Trophy profitable season. “I managed to get them all the way down to 92 in a single 12 months,” Maurice joked. “Good.”
However after a down common season, the Panthers obtained scorching on the proper time and made a run to the Stanley Cup Closing earlier than falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in 5 video games.
Some groups expertise a hangover after a long term to the Cup Closing within the earlier season. A 5-4-1 begin was shortly flipped and the Panthers went on to win the Atlantic Division and shut down opposing stars over the primary three rounds of the playoffs to get to inside 4 wins of a championship — this time with the Edmonton Oilers serving as opponents.
Maurice’s message, prefer it had in his earlier stops, obtained by to his gamers. They’ve approached this season extra mature and disciplined on the ice. They nonetheless carry loads of physicality to video games, however in a a lot smarter method.
It is the Paul Maurice impact, and his gamers are conscious and grateful for what he is dropped at the crew.
“He is such a tremendous coach. He is one of the best one I’ve had,” stated ahead Matthew Tkachuk. “He is gotten me to develop into a greater participant than once I first began right here. I’ve obtained nothing however good issues to say about him.
“I’ve obtained a ton of respect for him, and I feel all of the gamers, at first, you actually need to win it for your self and your teammate subsequent to you. However I feel a man like Paul, it means rather a lot to him, from all of us, seeing what he is executed for us the previous two years. We undoubtedly need to get it for him.”
Humor is a software Maurice makes use of in all conditions — with the media and his gamers. He is fast with a joke or a self-deprecating remark to alleviate stress. He may be fiery when mandatory, however that steadiness has performed together with his gamers, and the long-term impact has been a optimistic one.
“[He’s] actually good at studying the room, actually good at understanding what we want, after we want it. I feel that is the most important high quality I can take away,” stated ahead Evan Rodrigues. “He is aware of when a crew wants a joke, and he is aware of when a crew wants a kick within the again finish. He is been unbelievable for us all 12 months and yeah, actually get pleasure from taking part in for him.”
What Maurice brings in expertise to the desk is a resume of 869 regular-season wins, which is fourth all-time amongst coaches. Solely Scotty Bowman, Joel Quenneville and Barry Trotz have received extra.
What Bowman, Quenneville and Trotz have that Maurice is lacking is a Stanley Cup ring — multiples within the circumstances of Bowman and Quenneville.
That is Maurice’s third look in a Cup Closing. He’s put within the time, come shut twice and now actually needs to be the coach celebrating his crew’s sixteenth playoff victory.
“As you age, you get a distinct perspective on life and what’s essential and helpful,” Maurice stated. “I must win one. No, it’s not going to vary the part of my life that’s not associated to hockey in any respect. However that’s the reality. That’s how I really feel. I’m 30 years into this factor. Wouldn’t thoughts profitable one.”
