Paul Maurice's career stems back to the running the Hartford Whalers bench to taking a leave of the Winnipeg Jets and then -- in a most stunning move, retuning to not only guide the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final last spring. In this exclusive interview, Maurice covers a spectrum of hockey subjects.
As National Hockey League coaches go, Paul Maurice -- more than any is his own man's man.
His career stems back from running the Hartford Whalers bench to taking a leave of the Winnipeg Jets and then -- in a most stunning move, returning to not only guide the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final last spring.
In this exclusive interview, Maurice covers a spectrum of hockey subjects.
Paul's points:
Explaining His Longevity:
"The trick is that I have been able to work for really, REALLY good people. Really good, loyal people. I'm thinking about Peter Karmanos, his son, Peter Jr., and Jim Rutherford. Each gave me an opportunity to coach in the NHL 'way before I was ready to coach in the NHL, and then each of them stuck by me for years until I got enough experience to kind of know what I was doing.
Bottom Line; I was lucky with my general managers and ownership being smart hockey men."
"Both Jim and Peter, the elder, are in the Hall of Fame. Jim's won three Stanley Cups. Then I got to work for Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mark Chipman -- who never would panic after a three-game losing streak. They had a clear vision of what we were trying to do It has not been so much my age and experience and game numbers, but I've been really, really lucky."
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About The Florida Gig:
"Same with the Panthers. It was the reason why I came out of semi-retirement. (Panthers' owner) Mr. Viola is a good example. I appreciate the investment he made in the team in Florida and the way the players are treated. He helped stir my enthusiasm for the game. There's a great line that I've used before, and it's not mine. 'Don't be so humble, you're not that good.' I love that line, but the truth is that I've been incredibly lucky when it comes to all the different people I've worked with."
Difference In Coaching Now And Then:
"Everything has changed. The players have changed; what they need has changed. Technology has allowed us to offer the players so much more in terms of developing as individuals. It's night and day. What's really interesting is that some aspects of the game have never changed. What the game demands of a player -- and of a team to be successful -- has never changed. You can't cheat the game. You can't be an individual in the game."
Explanation:
"You can't be an individual in the game. You have to play the best team that you can. The people respect that; they respect quality hockey -- and how hard that is to do. That kind of player survives, and maybe those coaches survive. Put it this way: What hasn't changed are the demands of the game; what the game forces you to do to be good at it.
Panthers surprise last season:
"What was great about that team -- and this year's too -- is that we have a really unique room. We have different personalities and completely different skill sets. A good example would be
Matthew Tkachuk. I had coached against him for years but never had any idea of his personality. He -- like other players, I'd only had a glimpse of -- surprised me because previously I'd only had a glimpse of him. The people part was the big surprise. This is an unusual group of guys."
How they are unusual:
"They love each other. They treat each other well, and they treat the staff well -- the equipment staff; the medical, the media. There's a great soul in that room, and Alex Barkov has a lot to do with it as well as other leaders. But that was the biggest surprise. That is, how much fun you can have with this group of guys."
Paul's secret to handling the media:
"A big help is that I'm getting old in terms of my years in the game. Like others, I've gone through phases. I learned that you have to be aware of high-pressure markets. What you say will live for days. You have to be aware that the camera in front of you -- when you are talking about a player -- is going right back to that player as soon as you're done."
What else he has learned about the press:
"I just tell the truth, and I don't care anymore. I try to be open; I try to be honest. If it's a question about the game, I try to think of it. I've got brothers who love the game, and it's my way of
communicating with them. Also, I feel that I'm teaching the game a little bit. Then I go out and try to tell the people. If they ask me a question, I tell them how I feel more than what I know. Sort of like, 'This is how I feel about your question; and then I don't worry about it.'"
How To Handle The Referee's After A Bad Call:
"That's changed. For my first fifteen NHL years, I never talked to the refs. I was too young, and they wouldn't give me the time of day. Since then, I've developed relationships with a lot of them. I like ones where you can joke around with a guy a little bit."
His Explanation:
"I can be mad at a ref, and he'll come back and smile at me I look at their job this way. These guys do 82 road games, and they fly commercial. I keep that in mind when I complain because
their life is way harder than mine. They have a tough, tough job. They get booed for the most part in every place they work. We just get booed on the road."
I'm Just sayin'
* Picking the general manager of the year for 2023-24 will be tougher than ever.
* Solid candidates heading toward the holidays include Don Sweeney, Jim Nill, Kelly McCrimmon, Chris MacFarland, Rob Blake Pat Verbeek, and Tom Fitzgerald.
* We all knew that the departure of Erik Karlsson would weaken the Sharks.
* But certainly not THIS weak!
* Hall of Fame Yankees catcher Yogi Berra was a huge Devils fan thanks to his having managed (Devils owner) Dr. John McMullen's Houston Astros.
* If Yogi was around today -- wish he was -- Berra would have studied the Coyotes' quest for a new arena and a soon-to-happen deadline to find land for a new NHL size rink.
* Berra's analysis would be: "It's getting late early."
* Tut-Tut Department: You'd think the world had ended now that NHL general managers voted to move the annual Draft to the respective manager's rooms.
* Granted that the Devils power play is scary-scary, but what's still debatable is whether NJ goalkeeping is making me nervous.
* Lindy Ruff may have to rein in his offense a bit and remind his speedsters how they were able to shut down the Rangers in four of the last five games during the first playoff round.
* The supposed fine-tuning of Edmonton's roster seems to have forgotten Jay Woodcroft's defense.
* Kenny Holland, 67, is in the final year of his Oilers' contract.
* You tell me; where does Everybody's Friend go from here?
* Pat Verbeek pulled off three of the best off-season gets: 1. Coach Greg Cronin, 2. Alex Killorn; 3. Radko Gudas.
* The Ottawa upheaval that resulted in the Pierre Dorion debacle could be a franchise savior depending on the next Sens g.m. Candidates, kindly line up to my right, led by Stan Bowman.
* I'm wondering when -- IF? -- Coach Q gets reinstated.
* Speaking of one-sided trades, how about the Devils winning Tyler Toffoli for Yegor Sharangovich?
* How's this for a 42-year run of excellence: Eric Hornick has been Islanders' stat ace since January 1982.
* Many a Rangers fan can explain why Hornick's nom de plume is "Forever 1940" because it still hurts.
* The Sharks own the NHL's worst record and best uniform -- with the annual exception of Chicago.
* I found a lot of things I like about historian Gregg Inkpen's biography of John Brophy, aptly titled "Brophy." Gregg brought back to life one of my all-time tough minor-league defensemen, Joe Desson.
* And here I figured everyone had forgotten Joltin' Joe but me.
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Among Other Things:
* Department of Miracles: The Sharks are 0-10-1 after losing 10-2 on Saturday night, and David Quinn still has his coaching job.
* Department of Miracles (2) San Jose GM Mike Grier's three goalies are oft-injured
Mackenzie Blackwood, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Eetu Makiniemi. Grier still has his GM job.
* Sportsnet's Mark Spector calls the Oilers "dispirited, soft and defenseless."
* Connor McDavid called his club's Saturday night loss "death by a thousand cuts."
* For coach Jay Woodcroft's sake, The Oil had better win tonight in Vancouver.
* Usually, defending champs start off slowly in the new season.
* Kudos to GM Kelly McCrimmon and coach Bruce Cassidy. After 12 games, the defending champs are 11-0-1.
* Another mathematical miracle: On Saturday night, both the Rangers and Islanders were victims of the "Dreaded Three Goal Lead.
* The Isles had their trio of red lights in the first period, and so did the Blueshirts.
* The Orange and Blue lost in overtime, and the Blueshirts in a shootout.
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