FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Tomas Nosek faced a scenario every hockey player dreads. It was overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, and the experienced fourth-line forward for the Florida Panthers sat in the penalty box, having been called for delay of game late in the extra period. Powerless, he could only watch as Edmonton`s Leon Draisaitl netted the game-winning goal during the ensuing power play.
It was a crushing blow for Nosek. However, coach Paul Maurice`s response was designed to ensure that this devastating feeling didn`t linger.
“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 shared during his postgame media session. “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 didn`t anticipate such empathy. The 32-year-old, who has played for five NHL teams, described the interaction with Maurice after his error as unique compared to previous experiences in other locker rooms.
“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 moved around the league. It is at his sixth stop, leading the Panthers, where he appears to have found his greatest success. It`s not just that he has guided Florida to a third consecutive Cup Final appearance, aiming for a second straight championship after the franchise`s first win a year prior. Maurice has been a central figure in the team`s cultural transformation.
Before Maurice arrived in 2022, the Panthers were a strong team on the verge of significant success. Three years later, Florida is approaching dynastic status.
This isn`t solely attributable to Maurice, of course. But whether he claims credit or not, Maurice has been a crucial element in helping the Panthers excel, both collectively and individually.
“Every single guy respects him so much,” stated 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 BEFORE Christmas in 2021 when Maurice felt his time was up. He had coached the Winnipeg Jets for nine seasons and could sense, with the team struggling through a difficult stretch, that they needed a new voice to take charge.
“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 when announcing his resignation. “They need somebody that can get them to that next place.”
Ironically, the Panthers would soon find themselves in a similar situation. Maurice didn`t know it then, but he was the right person for that role. When he stepped down in Winnipeg, Maurice cited a loss of passion for the game itself, vowing that without rekindling it, “you can`t be as good as you could be or should be, and that`s how I feel.”
While Maurice contemplated his future, the Panthers were enjoying their present. Florida dominated the NHL in 2021-22 with a 122-point season, earning the franchise`s first Presidents` Trophy as the top regular-season team. This achievement didn`t translate to postseason success, however, as Florida was swept in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Consequently, Florida was in need of a new voice. Following the season, GM Bill Zito moved on from interim head coach Andrew Brunette, who had taken over after Joel Quenneville resigned in October amid sexual assault allegations from Kyle Beach related to Quenneville`s time with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite Brunette`s success with Florida, Zito sought someone else for the permanent position, and Maurice was prepared to give coaching another try.
It has proven to be an excellent partnership in many ways.
Shortly after Maurice joined, Zito made a major trade in July 2022, sending Florida`s leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames for forward Matthew Tkachuk.
This significant move overshadowed the coaching news, but both additions were vital in reshaping the Panthers` identity. Tkachuk embodied the physical style Maurice advocated. Almost instantly, Florida achieved harmony between a star player and the coach. Getting the rest of the team on board was easier due to Maurice`s skill in understanding the team`s needs.
“He`s open, honest and speaks his mind,” commented 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 might be one of Maurice`s greatest assets, unless he`s discussing himself. Maurice reached his 1,000th career win when Florida defeated Edmonton 6-1 in Game 3 of the Cup Final. He declined specific comments on the milestone but was visibly moved by Bennett`s remarks about the team`s respect for him, calling it “a very kind thing” for his player to say about his leadership.
“If you walk into the room and you just tell the truth,” Maurice reflected, “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 grins when asked about Maurice and the unique qualities that make him stand out. “He`s one of a kind,” Verhaeghe said. “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 for Maurice, it`s not just his humor that has solidified the Panthers` reputation as an attractive destination for players, particularly those looking to revitalize their careers. While Florida`s lack of state income tax is often cited as a draw for NHL free agents, the appeal of playing for the Panthers extends beyond financial benefits. Florida boasts a record of 141-87-18 under Maurice, becoming a consistent playoff contender. Maurice seems to possess a knack for unlocking players` potential, resulting in many newcomers having some of their best career years.
Just ask A.J. Greer. The veteran signed a two-year deal with Florida and achieved a career-high 17 points in the regular season, becoming a key member of the Panthers` effective fourth line during this postseason run. The way Maurice has made his unit, including Nosek, feel valued is a testament to his ability to maximize his group`s performance.
“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 explained. “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.”
It has become the standard in Florida that joining the team comes with high expectations for improved results. Maurice embodies this standard perhaps more than anyone. While he has core beliefs in his system and how the team should operate, personal growth has taught Maurice to be more flexible in his daily coaching 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 influences how Maurice manages the Panthers` practice schedule during the playoffs. For instance, Florida didn`t skate at all the day after winning Game 3 and held only an optional practice the morning before Game 4. Maurice is open to adjusting the schedule based on the team`s needs, understanding what players require to succeed. This crucial insight allows him to know when a skate 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 said. “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.”
SOME SAY WINNING changes a person. Apparently, that`s not the case for Maurice, at least according to his team, who still hear the same familiar messages from their leader even after hoisting the Stanley Cup a season ago.
“He [brings] pretty much the same stuff. Nothing really changed,” Anton Lundell noted. “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 change in Maurice, it has been positive for the Panthers. Florida`s path to the Cup Final this year featured more ups and downs than before, fluctuating between periods of dominance and moments of adversity that raised questions about their ability to win back-to-back championships.
Maurice maintained the Panthers` composure through these highs and lows until the team fully hit its 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 Florida is leading or trailing in a playoff series, as they have at times this spring, the Panthers don`t panic or collapse. They might stumble, but there`s a safety net. This comes from Maurice and his philosophies, which are well-received because they genuinely work. Florida trusts that following his lead brings positive outcomes.
And the Panthers could be just days away from proving that fact once again.
“I don`t think he`s changed since winning [the Cup]. He`s the same,” Bennett affirmed. “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.”
