Paul Maurice Decides Future After Leading Panthers to Stanley Cup Win
Photo credit: Palm Beach Post
Unsurprisingly, the Florida Panthers rewarded head coach Paul Maurice for his accomplishments after they finally won the Stanley Cup in 2024.
One of the NHL's longest-serving head coaches, Paul Maurice has been behind the bench every year since 1995. A few months ago, he finally broke his record for most wins as a head coach without a Stanley Cup. Following the success, Maurice's NHL future at the age of 57 was somewhat uncertain, but the Panthers made an official announcement on Tuesday that is sure to excite fans.
The Panthers announced that Paul Maurice and the team had reached an agreement on an extended contract. Maurice was in the last year of a three-year contract, and after leading the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first two seasons, it was obvious that the team intended to keep him on.
«Paul has resolutely led our organization to unprecedented success during his relatively short tenure in South Florida,» Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said in a statement. «He is a superb communicator and leader for our staff and players, possessing a keen strategic mind for the game. We are excited for Paul and his staff to continue to keep the Florida Panthers as a destination franchise for the foreseeable future.»
After Jacques Martin (110) and Peter DeBoer (103), Maurice had already secured the third-highest number of regular-season victories in Florida history, with 98 going into Tuesday. Additionally, his postseason success with the Panthers is unmatched; all other coaches in the club's history have won 25 playoff games combined, while he has won 29 with Florida, including the team's first Stanley Cup victory last season.
Maurice is fourth all-time in wins (873) behind Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969), and Barry Trotz (914), and second in NHL history in games coached (1,855 as of Tuesday) behind Scotty Bowman (2,141).
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