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)

[StrangeVision]

As a Peg fan, the above is true. He has zero ability to adapt in game, reverts to his antiquated systems and continually ran AHLers over youth with speed and skill unless forced to change because of injuries/Covid etc and even then, would swap out the veterans, especially his favs (Wheeler) once healthy, regardless of how well the subs played. His defensive systems are atrocious as evident in Helly seeing the most shots against of any starting goalie.
I wish him the best and would love to see him win a cup. To my understanding he’s a great person and a players coach.
But I definitely don’t see this going well for Florida

Sounds like exactly what we don't need.

Welp.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

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

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

Maurice would be perfect for a rebuilder but not for a team like the Panthers. I'm expecting a major step back in the next season aka a 1st round exit and another 2nd round exit in the following season.

Zito looking like a bum after a series of good moves into his GM'ing career.

Sounds like exactly what we don't need.

Welp.

Thankfully we don't have any 1st round picks so that PoMo doesn't get to ruin them.

 

[Mogo]

The fact that the mainboards hates this move and think Brunette should be back makes me like this even more.

99% of them didnt see Panthers play more than max 2 games.

 

[Great8Cam]

People really think Maurice is the guy? Like seriously?

We shall see.

I predict a 1st round exit next season.

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.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

I also don't think our window is actually open much, maybe by another 1 or 2 years. Our main guys - Barkov, Huber, Ekblad - are all on the back-half of their prime years. Not that they won't still be good players, but you rarely see players at that age with the limited success they've had so far to suddenly lead a team to a cup.

I don't think with our current set up we can be a power house like Tampa or Colorado, or the previous Pens/Hawks/Kings etc. We just don't have that star power. If we were to win a cup, I think it'd be more like the Blues. Get into the playoffs and keep taking shots, hoping one of those years captures lightning in a bottle. That's why I think we should be re-tooling to have an extended window of getting into the playoffs instead of going for peaks and valleys.

But, I think management still wants to go for it and if that's the case, they need to hire an experienced coach and go all-in at the TDL. Maybe Maurice isn't the preferred hire with a guy like Trotz available, but the fit needs to be there. Who knows what Trotz was looking for, rumour was he wanted some front office role too, and I doubt Zito would be ok with that being a relatively new GM. So we go with Maurice, a guy with experience who has had some past success with less talented teams.

I'm not a big fan of the direction we're taking. I probably won't like the Huber contract we sign or letting him walk for nothing. But if this is the path they're choosing to take, then Bruno had to go and an experienced coach needed to be brought in.

This is a very balanced take and I agree with most of it. I'd have really preferred to extend our window, but we've moved in a different direction and if we're sticking to it, then an experienced coach is a "safer bet". I'm just not convinced Maurice is the guy for the job.

 

[Mogo]

Found a dope picture of Bruno as a JetView attachment 560879


I'm ok with this.


In the sense I wanted a Kobe Steak and instead I got an Angus Rib Eye.

At least I wasn't given a salad.

Bruno would been like tossing the salad

 

[Gentle Man]

I thought you anti Tallon people would be happy that we finally have a coach not brought under the Tallon regime

 

[Mogo]

I also don't think our window is actually open much, maybe by another 1 or 2 years. Our main guys - Barkov, Huber, Ekblad - are all on the back-half of their prime years. Not that they won't still be good players, but you rarely see players at that age with the limited success they've had so far to suddenly lead a team to a cup.

I don't think with our current set up we can be a power house like Tampa or Colorado, or the previous Pens/Hawks/Kings etc. We just don't have that star power. If we were to win a cup, I think it'd be more like the Blues. Get into the playoffs and keep taking shots, hoping one of those years captures lightning in a bottle. That's why I think we should be re-tooling to have an extended window of getting into the playoffs instead of going for peaks and valleys.

But, I think management still wants to go for it and if that's the case, they need to hire an experienced coach and go all-in at the TDL. Maybe Maurice isn't the preferred hire with a guy like Trotz available, but the fit needs to be there. Who knows what Trotz was looking for, rumour was he wanted some front office role too, and I doubt Zito would be ok with that being a relatively new GM. So we go with Maurice, a guy with experience who has had some past success with less talented teams.

I'm not a big fan of the direction we're taking. I probably won't like the Huber contract we sign or letting him walk for nothing. But if this is the path they're choosing to take, then Bruno had to go and an experienced coach needed to be brought in.

I agree. Our legimate window is 1-2 years. Thats why we cant take risk on teaching a coach to how to coach

While I wanted Trotz. I just like we got an experienced NHL coach

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

PoMo: "I can't get these guys to the next level, they need a new, different voice..."

Zito: "This is our guy! This our guy!"

 

[I am not exposed]

I agree. Our legimate window is 1-2 years. Thats why we cant take risk on teaching a coach to how to coach

While I wanted Trotz. I just like we got an experienced NHL coach

I'm going to make a note of this post, because this will be fun to come back to next year when you're making posts saying "Maurice is the woRst c0ach ever!, How is he even in the NHL!!"

 

[kerrabria]

Maurice had made it past the second round twice in the cap era--swept the first time and lost in 5 the other. In fact, he's coached 15 of the past 16 seasons, and he's made the playoffs 6 times. He's won 5 playoff rounds in his past 15 seasons, and only 3 in his last 12. And it's not like he's been hard-pressed for talent. His teams always underachieve.

 

[Dread Clawz]

he also apparently has the most losses.

.446% win percentage...

I am not arguing that he isnt a good dude. I just don't see this being the guy... but who knows

NHL Coach Register | Hockey-Reference.com

Records for all NHL and WHA coaches, all-time

www.hockey-reference.com

He's coached some terrible teams. The mid-90s Whalers/Canes, the 2006-08 Leafs, the 2008-11 Canes. It's actually a miracle he's 6th in wins. He's clearly at least a decent coach.

 

[Gentle Man]

I live Micah's content.

But regular season analytics just isn't the same as playoff analytics

 

[Mogo]

I'm going to make a note of this post, because this will be fun to come back to next year when you're making posts saying "Maurice is the woRst c0ach ever!, How is he even in the NHL!!"

Sounds good. I bet you'll bring this post up too if he succeeds?

So you already doomed Maurice as a failure I see or will you wait to see which side you choose that suits you best at the time?

 

[BabyBennettov]

Disappointed.

Really disappointed.

Can’t wait to see what the new excuse/bashing will be all about, now that we don’t have a rookie coach to blame for EVERYTHING.

I always liked Paul Maurice as a person and his analysis/interviews… But never thought he had IT as a coach… And now we have to see it for ourselves…

I’m just glad Barkov signed his deal last summer. If he hadn’t, he would have been gone right after this last move.

Not excited at all by this hiring, but I guess it will please the vocal ones around this board… Meh.

 

[Great8Cam]

I seriously doubt that Trotz was available or we would be reading that he is signed. Maurice seems to have the same demeanor as Cooper, and that is not a bad thing. We will see if Maurice can get these players to step up and if he can teach them that the regular season is not even close to the same as playoffs.

 

[iam76]

I really hope I am wrong here.. I would have preferred to keep brunette and lose in the first round or second than hire Paul Maurice and lose in the first or second round...

and honestly I just want q back. it's like we were screwed out of our window....

 

[kerrabria]

As with anybody, I give them a chance. Some I'm more optimistic about than others at the start. I like this hire. I think they had to do it. They had to hire an experienced coach. Wished they would have done it when Q left, but that's water under the bridge.
But, with all of that, can still never know until they actually play the games. But at least I'm excited for next season now.

I completely disagree. Obviously you want experience, but the most experienced coaches out there were awful. I don't understand why people are so terrified of new blood. Every season there are multiple retread coaches who flop. Every season there's a new guy who was finally given a chance and succeeds.

The locker room already experienced Quenneville. They've seen and learned from the best. Maurice isn't going to fill his shoes.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I seriously doubt that Trotz was available or we would be reading that he is signed. Maurice seems to have the same demeanor as Cooper, and that is not a bad thing. We will see if Maurice can get these players to step up and if he can teach them that the regular season is not even close to the same as playoffs.

Strong rumblings he wants a GM/executive role

 

[kerrabria]

He's coached some terrible teams. The mid-90s Whalers/Canes, the 2006-08 Leafs, the 2008-11 Canes. It's actually a miracle he's 6th in wins. He's clearly at least a decent coach.

Our players weren't even born when Maurice was coaching the mid-90s Whalers/Canes. Anything before the cap era should be totally irrelevant. It's a completely different game (from the play style, play abilities, culture, and rules on the ice).

And the 2008-11 Canes had plenty of talent to work with. They didn't have high end talent on the blue line, but a defensive coach should be able to make that work when he has great centers, a great goalie, and scoring support.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Or you can say he made it past round 1 only four times in 24 seasons.

There is an argument he has coached some bad teams... His best result was taking Carolina to SC finals in 2001/02; he was fired by them mid-2003/04 season and the Canes won the Cup two years later. Toronto did nothing for years after his two-year stretch; neither did Carolina in his second stretch.

From the main board:
"[Paul Maurice is] a great human being. But his systems are just bad, especially the zone defence and PK. Our defence never could adapt to the system, there was non-stop confusion and clumsy mistakes, blown coverage, you name it. Your goalie will get shelled with lower-risk shots once you get hemmed in your zone. He is also totally unable to counter trap hockey, which cost us every time we went to the playoffs."

Defence, bad PK and inability to counter trap hockey. Yeah...

We'll see. Not really a fan of the hiring but ready to be pleasantly surprised.

He hasn't really had great teams to work with. Outside the 2016-18 Jets. Even the 2002 Canes weren't that great of a team. We will be the most talented team he's had by far. The 2006-08 Leafs and 2008-11 Canes are some of the worst teams of the cap era. Comparable to some of our bad Panthers teams.

And I refuse to believe the D and PK can be any worse than under Samuelsson.

 

[Great8Cam]

Brunette was forced on the team as the head coach and Zito did nothing to hire a new coach (as far as we know) last season. Zito would never have hired Brunette as head coach and we know this because he just hired Maurice. Even though Brunette “coached“ the team to the Presidents Cup.

Why is it that some of you rip on those that agree with this hire, but you people feel that you are the only ones that have the correct answer?

 

[kerrabria]

And I refuse to believe the D and PK can be any worse than under Samuelsson.

They were worse under Capuano.

 

[Great8Cam]

He hasn't really had great teams to work with. Outside the 2016-18 Jets. Even the 2002 Canes weren't that great of a team. We will be the most talented team he's had by far. The 2006-08 Leafs and 2008-11 Canes are some of the worst teams of the cap era. Comparable to some of our bad Panthers teams.

And I refuse to believe the D and PK can be any worse than under Samuelsson.

When Maurice took over the Canes mid season he was able to completely turn the team around In the wins column. I believe that it was his first game that they beat the Panthers.

 

[Pi]

Looking forward to Maurice being held as accountable as Bruno has been for every single mistake, big or small the team made this year!

He won't be because he's about to climb closer to one of the most pointless records in hockey. # of wins by a coach.

He can realistically be top 5 in 2-3 years.