Confirmed with Link: Paul Maurice signs 3 year deal to be head coach of the Florida Panthers (update 3/3/2023 given vote of confidence by Bill Zito)

[KW]

As long as they have some structure. That's all I ask at this point.

I’ll feel better if they win some low scoring one goal games. I think that’s a much better predictor of playoff success than wild 7-5 victories are.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

I’ll feel better if they win some low scoring one goal games. I think that’s a much better predictor of playoff success than wild 7-5 victories are.

This hasn't been built to win by keeping the amount of scoring low. This team still has a lot of firepower and also the expectations of multiple guys being ~ppg players (Barkov, Chuck, Ekblad, Reinhart) for the Panthers.

I do think that the main idea is to have a better 5-man defensive structure but the team doesn't have the personnel to execute that strategy properly. The Cats have a handful of good 2way fwds (Barky, Chuck, Lundell, Luostarinen, Verhaeghe, probably Balcers) but they really don't have the dmen for it. Forsling is the only dude who can operate under heavy pressure during the playoffs and every other dman is more or less unreliable in that regard. Thus far this team headed for another 1st exit, 2nd round if lucky, in the playoffs.

 

[KW]

This hasn't been built to win by keeping the amount of scoring low. This team still has a lot of firepower and also the expectations of multiple guys being ~ppg players (Barkov, Chuck, Ekblad, Reinhart) for the Panthers.

I do think that the main idea is to have a better 5-man defensive structure but the team doesn't have the personnel to execute that strategy properly. The Cats have a handful of good 2way fwds (Barky, Chuck, Lundell, Luostarinen, Verhaeghe, probably Balcers) but they really don't have the dmen for it. Forsling is the only dude who can operate under heavy pressure during the playoffs and every other dman is more or less unreliable in that regard. Thus far this team headed for another 1st exit, 2nd round if lucky, in the playoffs.

Team defense is a thing. It means especially the wingers covering their guys, like man to man coverage. The drawback of course is transition to offense, not too many 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 breaks with at least 4 of 5 playing responsible D. Well, maybe 5 of 5 since no more Hubie.

 

[zeroG]

I might have missed the interview where he said Zito and Lu had their mind made up and they had to convince him to take it. I do remember PM saying that on the zoom call with Z and Lu that they were looking for specific answers and that PM wasn’t just giving them answers that he thought that they wanted to hear. I think he was basically saying that he was giving them his honest thoughts.

-ghoste

i went back and checked a few interviews and all i could find was as you describe but i def remember him saying he was happy to be out of coaching, not looking for another job yet, and that zito's enthusiasm really jacked him up.

Zito wasn't convinced about PM prior to the interview process and PM didn't need extra convincing as far as the news articles depicted the hiring process.

I think he'll do a good job for the Panthers but I don't expect him to be a miracle worker like Q was in some aspect. One issue might be that he wants to play like a big team along the boards, especially in the d-zone, but I'm not sure if he has the personnel to execute that strategy properly.

like i said above, i couldn't exactly what i was describing, although i posted about it at the time. i may have been mistaken but i do recall PM saying that he was happy out of coaching when he got the call and really wasn't trying for the job, at first at least.

 

[mondo3]

IMO if the player leadership group in Florida is strong and if Maurice simplifies his strategies (as some players hinted it was so complicated they had to think about it rather than just react), then this could be a good hire. Also, I suspect in Winnipeg he depended too much on Huddy to coordinate the D, so if Florida has a better assistant coach in place that might help.

 

[sinDer]

IMO if the player leadership group in Florida is strong and if Maurice simplifies his strategies (as some players hinted it was so complicated they had to think about it rather than just react), then this could be a good hire. Also, I suspect in Winnipeg he depended too much on Huddy to coordinate the D, so if Florida has a better assistant coach in place that might help.

I have serious concern about this. Last year, this team relied only their talent to win games. I fee like 75% of the time they came out flat to start games. And they were clearly not ready to play playoffs hockey. We can blame Bruno for this, but I suspect a serious lack of leadership in this group.

 

[pantherbot]

So I'm kind of indifferent to Maurice. Not excited, but not that worried.

Given his long history, I tried to look back at his career. Feels like he's been around forever (I mean... He has) and it's almost ingrained that he's kind of meh. Losing record in regular season and playoffs etc. (Although 'd argue it's dumb to consider OTL in that record, and almost 0.500 in playoffs isn't that bad). But he's also coached a lot of games through different iterations of the league. Looking back... He had some pretty crappy teams and situations to work with. A jockey can only do so much with the horse he's got.

Those first Whalers teams were awful and they were basically being set up to move with recent ownership changes (we all know how that screws up a franchise).

Then the first couple years in Carolina they were basically playing all road games without a home arena. Like the Isles recently.

He still eventually got the 2001/02 team to the finals with a roster led by 38 year old Francis, a patchwork D led by Panthers alums Sean Hill, Bret Hedican, and Sandis Ozolinsh, and Weekes in goal. Wheels fall off next couple seasons because let's be honest, that roster sucks. The team goes on to win the cup in 2005/06 after the lockout season, which is used as an indication that Maurice held them back. But... That roster was also way better and had good young guys like Staal, Williams, Ward and good veterans.

He then coaches Toronto for two shitty seasons also with awful rosters. The starting goalies with Raycroft and Toskala.... That's not going to get you anywhere. Neither will a 35/36 year old Sundin with no other talent to front.

Carolina brings him back in 2008/09 to replace Lavi mid season because the team sucks. And they go on to lose in the conference finals to Crosby. They continue with a pretty crappy roster, go through a mini rebuild, miss playoffs but a point, and Maurice fired. To illustrate how crappy their team was, they don't make it back to the playoffs until 10 years later.

Then in Winnipeg he really only has the three bad seasons at the beginning in 2014/15 through 2016/17 while they were in semi-rebuild mode with spotty goaltending until Hellebuyck shows up. They relied on our old friend Hutchinson as a sort 1B.... That's not great. Then obviously there's the locker room stuff, but as someone who doesn't follow the Jets that closely, a team that has and keeps guys like Kane, Byuf, Wheeler... That's asking for trouble. The way he left the Jets seemed like he just couldn't get these characters to work together anymore and had enough.

I think point is that yes the guy's record and success is kind of meh, but I think the circumstances matter too. He's coached over 1,500 games through different transitions in the league and has got some success from some pretty mediocre rosters. So I'll keep an open mind and see what he brings.

 

[pantherbot]

I also think coaching, more than any other person position in hockey, is influenced by things outside of their control like roster, injuries, budget, development, etc.

People talk a lot about Trotz, but he lost a LOT early in Nashville until they got better established and became a good franchise. Even then they didn't really have success in playoffs and the roster aged out. In Washington he had a ridiculous roster that was expected to compete no matter who coached them. I think NYI is where people give him a lot of credit, but they weren't world beaters. Barely made the playoffs for the covid year by beating our lifeless a Panthers team and missed playoffs last year.

Cassidy also had amazing rosters in Boston and it's not like his minor league record is that great. Does he still have a good NHL record without Bergeron, Pasta, Matchand, Rask, Krejci, etc? And those guys were all on good deals.

So I think circumstances matter a lot when evaluating a coach. Someone like Quenneville is really one of the only guys I can say (in recent times) without question is a difference maker behind the bench, anyone else I'm not so sure.

 

[zeroG]

nice article on maurice on nhl.com that i don't think i've seen posted yet.

"Details is like the main thing that comes to mind," defenseman Aaron Ekblad said Monday before he was injured during a 5-3 loss at the Boston Bruins. "Just who he is as a person. Extremely detailed. His experience in the game has made it really cool to see his in-game adjustments and his adjustments as we see different teams. That's the most noticeable thing, I think.

"We're kind of evolving here as a team right now and trying to learn new systems. His ability to explain things and get us all on the same page is just incredible. Truly incredible."

 

[RJMA]

Bumpity bump. Let's see who needs to eat their words.

 

[vendetta]

What a thread. That Twitter thread from page 1 is gold too. And sums up everything I’ve been saying.

 

[RJMA]

Oooooof

Solid hire. I think he'll do well here.

Ya think?

Also he is 6th all time in wins...

clearly meaningless

 

[Prominence Problem]

Hindsight is a helluva drug

 

[Egblad]

Bumpity bump. Let's see who needs to eat their words.

Yeah, this was totally necessary. As if the season isn’t bad enough, let’s dig up historical sentiments of posters that didn’t have the luxury of 20/20 hindsight. Great.

 

[Chessarmy]

Yeah, this was totally necessary. As if the season isn’t bad enough, let’s dig up historical sentiments of posters that didn’t have the luxury of 20/20 hindsight. Great.

Yeah, I mean I’ll fully admit that I thought it would work out. I was wrong. Not sure if rubbing salt in the wound is necessary.

 

[austropanther]

Yeah, I mean I’ll fully admit that I thought it would work out. I was wrong. Not sure if rubbing salt in the wound is necessary.

It's not necessary. Hurts enough already, can't hurt more

 

[StrangeVision]

Oh my f*** I saw this thread pop up and thought they extended him another three years.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Why does it feel like this bump is some old posters new account?

 

[RJMA]

Yeah, this was totally necessary. As if the season isn’t bad enough, let’s dig up historical sentiments of posters that didn’t have the luxury of 20/20 hindsight. Great.

Can't be all rainbows and unicorns. Such is life.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

It's also 'life' that some new guy who was never properly socialized pops into the group and annoys everyone by being rude and obnoxious.

Fortunately, Paul Maurice isn't that guy. He's just a bad coach.

 

[vendetta]

This is pretty good entertainment and interesting to go back and read multiple takes. Reguardless what side you’re on.

 

[Egblad]

Can't be all rainbows and unicorns. Such is life.

I’m not suggesting that it is. This entire forum has been anything but the entire season, so I just don’t understand why we needed to add?

 

[RJMA]

I’m not suggesting that it is. This entire forum has been anything but the entire season, so I just don’t understand why we needed to add?

Because some didn't have the benefit of hindsight at the time of hire and knew this was a bad choice by Zits. We recognize those with foresight. No need for oversensitivity on the parts that those who were so certain of their opinions that they made them public, only for them to look comical in retrospect. It can be entertaining. No need to be defensive on a stance willingly took. This is a message board about hockey. Shouldn't be taken deadly serious.

 

[pantherbot]

I’m not suggesting that it is. This entire forum has been anything but the entire season, so I just don’t understand why we needed to add?

I think because some people like to receive internet cookies and feel good for being right about something instead of adding anything actually constructive to the conversation.

 

[I am not exposed]

I am surprised the amount of positive reactions this hire is getting.

But then again, most also celebrated getting Chiarot as well!

Hehe, bump.

I like this thread. Good reading. I was not happy with the hire. But even I was somewhat optimistic thinking a 1st round exit

Almost any real NHL coach is better than Flounder, Mr. hands in his pockets, dufus look on his face. I’m just glad that Flounder was tossed on the heap of loser coaches.

So who do you dislike more now....