The Florida Panthers continue the Sunshine State’s run of success in professional hockey, as they’re back in the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season. This means that in each of the last six years starting in 2020, a Florida-based team is competing for the Stanley Cup.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, who came to the team in the 2022 offseason after an unexpected resignation during the previous season as coach of the Winnipeg Jets, has the club on a tear.
They’re set to square off against the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final, and his players are speaking out about his particular coaching methods that have enabled this string of success.
Panthers Players Say Paul Maurice Gets The Most Out Of Them
Since he took over the position of Panthers head coach, Florida has been defined by their relentless commitment to back-checking and physicality as well as giving full effort night in and night out, be it during a regular season game in January or Game 7 of a postseason series.
“He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he’s very prepared and — I know I’ve said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game,” said Matthew Tkachuk. “His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift.”
Defenseman Seth Jones, who was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks during this season, explained that Maurice’s methods are different than anything he’s experienced at the NHL level in his career.
“It’s different than what I’ve had,” Jones said of Maurice’s style. “I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he’s very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out.
“But he’s also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we’re doing video. He’s very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don’t think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations.”
A finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2024 as the NHL’s best coach, Maurice has helped usher in a new era of Panthers hockey that has them amongst the most prominent teams in the League – and who has a chance for a second consecutive Stanley Cup win.
