Panthers, Paul Maurice Agree to Multi-Year Extension
Fresh off consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, with the latest one resulting in the franchise’s first-ever championship, Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice is sticking around indefinitely.
The 57-year-old coach put pen to paper on a multi-year contract extension on Tuesday, the club announced per a press release. However, the terms of his agreement weren’t disclosed publicly.
Maurice, now in his third season with the Panthers, was previously in the final year of his original contract. After signing his new deal, he’s expected to remain in the Sunshine State for the foreseeable future.
“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.”
Since becoming Florida’s head coach in 2022-23, Maurice has led his team to a 98-58-15 record, recording the third-most wins in franchise history behind only Peter DeBoer (103) and Jacques Martin (110).
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native has already established himself as the most successful Panthers head coach in the playoffs, with his franchise-record 29 career postseason victories. He’s only lost one series during his tenure – the 2023 Stanley Cup Final versus the Vegas Golden Knights.
“There was really no negotiation,” Maurice told reporters, including the Associated Press, before Tuesday’s contest versus the Minnesota Wild. “They made me a really nice offer and we shook hands and I said, ‘Thank you.’ And that was it.”
The Panthers captured their fourth Atlantic Division title last season, along with a second straight Prince of Wales trophy, awarded to the team representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
“I’m interested in coaching the Florida Panthers for as long as they’ll have me,” Maurice said. “It’s great coming to the rink.”
This season, the Panthers’ title defence has gotten off to a strong start, as they lead the Atlantic Division entering Wednesday’s slate with nine points, courtesy of a 4-3-1 record. That being said, the club delivered arguably its worst performance of the young season at home Tuesday versus the Wild.
Hours after Maurice’s extension became official, Florida was outplayed at Amerant Bank Arena, losing 5-1 to Minnesota, which has yet to trail in regulation this season.
“I’m hopeful the ink dried on that thing,” Maurice joked post-game. “No, it’s an honour. I’m very thankful and appreciative to the Viola family, not just for their generosity but for the investment they’ve made here over the years. … We’ve had success together but there’s a lot of people that made that possible.”
With his coaching resume spread across four decades, Maurice has been behind the bench for 1,857 career regular-season games – trailing only Scotty Bowman (2,141) in league history – split between the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Panthers.
He ranks fourth all-time in coaching wins with 873, trailing Barry Trotz (914), Joel Quenneville (969) and Scotty Bowman (1,244).
Photo: Arc1294. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.