5:33 pm: The Panthers have made Maurice’s hiring official. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that it’s a three-year deal for Maurice, coming in at just under $4MM per season. In a release announcing the news, general manager Bill Zito gave the following explanation:
At the completion of our season, we began an in-depth examination of all aspects of our team. After taking the appropriate amount of time for analysis, we determined that we needed the perfect fit to continue with the growth of our players and stay on the path for our franchise goals. Paul’s experience and intellect were just what we were looking for and we are thrilled for him to step into the role of head coach.
9:14 am: The Florida Panthers won’t be keeping Andrew Brunette on as head coach after all. Several reports have surfaced including from Darren Dreger of TSN that the Panthers are in the process of hiring Paul Maurice as their next head coach, and that it will be a three-year deal when completed. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that Brunette could still remain with the organization in some fashion, though Dreger expects him to look for a fresh start.
Maurice, 55, resigned his position as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets in December, noting that the team needed a new voice after nearly a decade there. One of the most experienced coaches in NHL history, Maurice was hired by the Hartford Whalers when he was still just 28 years old and has been behind a bench ever since, racking up 1,685 regular season games in the process.
Despite those decades of coaching though, Maurice doesn’t have a ton of postseason success, having only progressed past the first round on four occasions and missing the playoffs entirely in more than half his seasons behind the bench. His best playoff run came in 2002 when he took the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final, only to lose in five games to the Detroit Red Wings.
Still, there are few coaches more well-respected around the league than Maurice, and he’ll now be walking into an outstanding opportunity with the Panthers. Florida won the Presidents’ Trophy with a 58-18-6 scoring at a pace rarely seen in the modern game. Four players cracked the 30-goal mark, with captain Aleksander Barkov leading the way with 39 in just 67 games. Jonathan Huberdeau had 115 points to finish second in the Art Ross race, and the Panthers have difference-makers at defense and in net.
That success though is why so many believed Brunette would be given another chance after taking over from Joel Quenneville early in the year. Fifty-one of those 58 wins came under the rookie bench boss, who posted a .720 points percentage in his first go-round.
There were critiques of his ability in the playoffs when going up against Jon Cooper and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who swept them out of the second round, but it was still hard to believe Brunette wouldn’t be given at least another crack at it.
By moving on to Maurice, the management group in Florida has made a clear statement that they believe there is no time to waste in their current window. Notably, Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar will be unrestricted free agents after the upcoming season, Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair will be the year after that, and Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe the year after that.
The 2022-23 season could be the last chance for the entire group to stay intact (or at least reasonably intact), so they’ve taken their shot with an experienced coach to try and take them all the way.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Ah, the old boys club strikes again. Don’t try any new blood, NHL execs, just keep recycling the same old faces. Play it safe. You wouldn’t want to be accused of original thinking, or going outside the box!
By my count, 14 teams have first-time NHL head coaches, with a couple of spots still open. Seems that you need to pay closer attention.
Nothing you just said has anything to do with the fact that Maurice may be a better choice than Brunette. Obviously in the Panthers eyes, he is. Not sure what your point is.
@dog: It’s the same old faces this year. Maurice, Tortorella, Deboer, Cassidy. Pay attention to what’s happening recently. NHL execs tend to follow trends. Or don’t you know enough about hockey to realize that?
@dog: There are 3 spots vacant. Pay attention.
Boston Detroit and Winnipeg
NHL owners also tend to like proven entities. The four you just named have finals appearances, rings, and a history of winning. I also remember you babbling about the old boys club when the Blackhawks hired Quenneville, the Kings hired Sutter, and the Caps hired Barry Trotz. Your strategy of hiring only new guys has some large holes in it.
Sorry but FLA needs a proven guy not someone who’s never been tested.
Panthers have everything in place for a cup run, they actually did try new blood with Brunette, playoffs were bad. Not sure that Maurice would be my choice but no way I’m going to give a new guy the head coach with this loaded team.
Maurice was the worse thing that ever happened to the Jets…….worst coach I’ve ever seen, absolutely clueless
The winningest seasons in the history of the current Jets franchise yet he was the worst thing that ever happened to the Jets? You don’t seem to know much about hockey.
Chevy put together the deepest most talented team eggbert, we won DESPITE of Maurice! Watch every jets game since the 70’s boy, you have no clue about the Jets
You have seen a bunch of games so you know more than the folks who run teams? That is rather amusing. Please keep posting.
The quality of their defense has varied a good bit, but Maurice had a fantastic forward group and an elite goalie for years and still the Jets regularly underachieved.
Looks like Stevie is waiting for Lalonde. That would be a first-time head coach!
What happen he took the group they have as far as they could go. basicially he said we need some changes but GM is tied to some of these players. He is going to fire me soon might as well move on. This team went downhill the minute Byfuglien left. he clearly was a leader see he how handled Kane. Yes it was a surprise but they have been scrambling ever since.
Panthers looked helpless vs. Tampa and ownership took notice.. Nice try Brunette, but you couldn’t make it happen with that rockstar lineup…
Good hire for a very good team.
A safe hire. You just hope he can tighten up the team defensively without pulling the reigns too tightly on the Panthers best quality, scoring goals.
NHL team not hire a retread challenge (impossible)