FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In a tough moment during overtime of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, veteran forward Tomas Nosek of the Florida Panthers found himself in a nightmare scenario: a delay of game penalty with less than two minutes left in extra time. From the penalty box, he could only watch as Edmonton scored the winning goal on the ensuing power play.
It was a crushing blow for Nosek. Coach Paul Maurice`s response was crucial in preventing that feeling from lingering.
“You just remind him after the game of being down 2-0 to Toronto [in the second round] when that [fourth] line came in and changed everything for us,” Maurice said later. “And how we are not here [in the Final] without Tomas. It`s a tough break. So, we`ll just make sure he doesn`t eat alone tonight. He`s got lots of people sitting at his table and reminding him how good he`s been to us.”
Nosek, a 32-year-old who has played for five NHL teams, was surprised by the level of empathy. He described the interaction with Maurice after his mistake as special compared to previous experiences.
“He`s a tremendous person. He said some things that he didn`t need to say, but he said it,” Nosek commented. “And that`s what makes him, for me, a really, really good coach and a really good person as well.”
Like Nosek, Maurice has had several stops in the league. It`s at his sixth team, coaching the Panthers, where he seems to be doing his best work. He hasn`t just led Florida to a third consecutive Cup Final appearance; Maurice has been central to transforming the team`s culture.
Before Maurice`s arrival in 2022, the Panthers were a talented team on the verge. Three years later, they are approaching potential dynasty status.
While it`s not solely Maurice`s doing, he has undeniably been a key figure in helping the Panthers and their players shine.
“Every single guy respects him so much,” said forward Sam Bennett. “When he speaks, everyone`s listening, and I think the team`s really just bought into the culture that he`s implemented into this team. We`re all willing to do whatever it takes and play that hard style that he keeps preaching to us, night in and night out, and we`ve all just bought into that over the years.”
It Was Just Prior
It was just before Christmas in 2021 when Maurice felt his time coaching the Winnipeg Jets, after nine seasons, was over. With the team struggling, he believed they needed a new voice.
“If you`ll allow me some arrogance, I feel I`m better positioned than anyone to know that they need a new voice,” Maurice stated upon resigning. “They need somebody that can get them to that next place.” He also cited a loss of passion for the game.
Ironically, the Panthers would soon need a new voice themselves. Maurice didn`t know then that he would be the right fit. While Maurice contemplated his future and the loss of his passion, the Panthers were having a stellar 2021-22 season, winning the Presidents` Trophy with 122 points. However, their playoff run ended quickly in a second-round sweep by Tampa Bay.
Following this, GM Bill Zito decided to part ways with interim coach Andrew Brunette, who had stepped in after Joel Quenneville resigned. Zito sought a permanent coach, and Maurice, having seemingly recaptured his passion, was willing to give it another shot.
It proved to be a successful match in multiple ways.
Shortly after Maurice joined, Zito made a massive trade, sending key players Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary for Matthew Tkachuk. This blockbuster trade overshadowed Maurice`s hiring but, along with his arrival, redefined the Panthers` identity. Tkachuk embodied the physical, structured style Maurice wanted. This synergy between a star player and the coach made it easier for the rest of the team to buy in, aided by Maurice`s skill in understanding the team`s mood and needs.
“He`s open, honest and speaks his mind,” said forward Evan Rodrigues. “I don`t think he holds back by any means. [He`s] very smart. Knows kind of what to say and when to say it, and does a great job of motivating us.”
Communication is one of Maurice`s strengths, though he`s reluctant to talk about himself. He recently earned his 1,000th career win, but chose not to comment specifically on the milestone. However, he was clearly moved by Sam Bennett`s positive remarks about his coaching, calling it “a very kind thing” for the player to say.
“If you walk into the room and you just tell the truth,” Maurice explained, “whether they want to hear it or not but it`s the truth, and over time you could look back and say what that person told me was the truth, you`ll have respect for that, I think. So I work hard at trying to find the truth every day and then just telling it as simply as I can with the occasional joke slipped in. Most times I`m the only one that thinks it`s funny.”
Carter Verhaeghe smiles when discussing Maurice`s unique personality.
“He`s one of a kind,” Verhaeghe stated. “We see his sense of humor with [the media] and he kind of has the same sense of humor with us. He keeps everything light but makes you want to work; and for the right reasons, for each other. At any given time, he knows what the group needs … it keeps us loose and focused at the same time.”
Fortunately, it`s not just his humor that makes the Panthers an attractive team for players, especially those looking to revitalize their careers. While the lack of state income tax is often cited, the appeal of joining the Panthers extends beyond financial savings. Under Maurice, Florida has a strong record and has become a perennial playoff contender. There seems to be something special about the environment that helps numerous newcomers reach their peak performance.
A.J. Greer is one example. He signed a two-year deal last July and had a career-high 17 points in the regular season. He became a key contributor on the effective fourth line during the playoffs. Maurice`s ability to make that unit, including Nosek, feel important is a testament to his skill in getting the most out of his players.
“Every player that comes into this organization elevates their game and gets to a certain point where you`re like, `Wow. Why wasn`t he like this in the other organizations?` It translates from the head coach,” Greer said. “He`s a lot of different coaches that I`ve had kind of combined into one. He`s kind of just a complete package of being able to motivate us and elevate our games mentally.”
Elevating their game has become the expectation for players joining the Panthers. Maurice himself epitomizes this. While he has core beliefs about his system, personal growth has made him more flexible in his daily approach.
“I`ve spent a lot of years in this league grinding and spitting nails every single day,” Maurice reflected. “It`s too hard to do. You have to be able to find places where you can laugh a little bit and enjoy it. Once you know everyone`s going to work their butt off, it`s easy to do.”
This philosophy extends to how Maurice handles playoff practices. The team might skip skates entirely after a win or hold only optional sessions, as they did before Game 4. Maurice is adaptable, adjusting the schedule based on what he feels players need to succeed. He has a strong intuition for when practice is necessary and how long it should last.
“In my relationship with these players, [I ask], when was the last time we added a drill or a skate to practice? I haven`t done it in three years,” he noted. “All I do is as soon as I think I get them to the threshold, I shut practice down. Then you get to have a good time. If you believe that you`ve worked as hard as you can, then there`s nothing left to do.”
They Say Winning
Winning is said to change people, but apparently not Maurice, at least according to his team. They say they are still getting the same messages from their coach even after winning the Stanley Cup a year ago.
“He [brings] pretty much the same stuff. Nothing really changed,” commented Anton Lundell. “I think you guys know, too; he`s got a lot of things to say, so it`s not only one or two things. He always switches it up and rotates his quotes. But it`s fun to be here, and as a group we like him.”
If there has been any shift in Maurice, it`s been a positive one for the Panthers. Their journey to the Cup Final this year was more challenging, featuring periods of dominance mixed with stretches of adversity that raised questions about their championship hopes. Maurice kept the team steady through these ups and downs until they fully found their stride.
“He`s the same guy, the same coach,” defenseman Gustav Forsling said. “Maybe even better, probably. He`s really good. He`s still very much looking at every game and he`s reading into everything. And he`s giving us the best chance to win every night.”
Perhaps Maurice`s greatest strength is his ability to instill confidence. Whether the Panthers are ahead or behind in a playoff series, they don`t panic or crumble. They might stumble, but they trust there`s a safety net in place. This comes from Maurice and his philosophies, which are effective because they simply work. The Panthers have learned they can trust that following his lead brings positive results.
And they are potentially just days away from proving that fact once again.
“I don`t think he`s changed since winning [the Cup]. He`s the same,” Sam Bennett reaffirmed. “He can be hard on us. He`s hard on us when he needs to be. And then he`s relaxed with us when he knows that we need [it], so I think he really does have a good feel for what our team needs. We all have the most respect for him.”
Gareth Tenby