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The Florida Panthers celebrated their 2024 Stanley Cup victory by announcing a multi-year extension for head coach Paul Maurice on Tuesday. Entering his 27th season as a head coach, which began with the Hartford Whalers in 1995, Maurice has guided the Panthers to two Stanley Cup Final appearances, boasting a regular-season record of 98-58-15 in his first two years with the team.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito praised Maurice, stating that he is a "superb communicator and leader for our staff and players, possessing a keen strategic mind for the game."
Maurice's previous contract was set to expire after the 2024-25 season; the three-year deal he signed in 2022 was reported to be worth around $4 million annually, as noted by Pierre LeBrun for The Athletic. Before joining the Panthers, Maurice led the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final, where they fell to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.
Muarice journey with panthers
Maurice took over the Panthers after they claimed the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy with a remarkable 122-point season in 2021-22. In the two subsequent seasons, the Panthers have ranked among the NHL's top ten offensive teams, averaging 35.1 shots on goal and 3.37 goals per game, along with a power play success rate of 23.0 percent. Defensively, they have excelled as well, limiting opponents to just 2.41 goals against and 27.8 shots against per game last season, marking the lowest totals in franchise history.
The combination of a balanced offense and defense, along with a physical style of play, allowed Maurice to lead a talented roster, featuring players like Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, and Sergei Bobrovsky, to the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
As they start the 2024-25 season with a 4-2-1 record atop the Atlantic Division, Maurice and the defending champions are set to face off against the 3-0-2 Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
“I’m just thankful, and hopeful, I guess, that the ink dried on that thing. No, I mean it is an honor and I am very thankful and appreciative to the Viola family not just for their generosity, but for the investment that they have made here over the years. ... This is a really good program. Really good people, and we have had success together, and a lot of people have made that possible, the players, first and foremost." Maurice said after a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
During 27 seasons with the Panthers, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers, Maurice is 873-739-145 with 99 ties. He ranks second in regular-season games coached (1,856), trailing only Scotty Bowman (2,141), is fourth in wins and is 70-67 in the playoffs.
"Paul has resolutely led our organization to unprecedented success during his relatively short tenure in South Florida. 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," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said.
