FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Stanley Cup hangover? No matter.
The Florida Panthers are driving a seven-game profitable streak and displaying zero indicators of slowing down after capturing the franchise’s first NHL championship final June.
I sat down with head coach Paul Maurice just lately on the staff’s observe facility to seek out out his mindset in approaching this season and the way he feels the reigning Cup champs are faring thus far.
Right here’s our Q&A, edited calmly for readability and size.
I’m positive it’s arduous for a Stanley Cup championship staff to lose gamers, as a result of these gamers have been a part of one thing particular, however I’ve at all times thought new gamers arriving on a Cup champion may also assist create a brand new identification, a wanted starvation.
That’s so true. I spent a while on the dock with Ralph Krueger this summer time. And what he’s sensible at is type of wanting ahead to what you’re going to expertise. And he had some nice strains. One in all them is, “You’re not going to begin the best way you ended it, the place you ended it, however you assume you need to.” That, in some methods, is simply the disparity of emotion out of your final recreation on the finish of final yr to your first day of coaching camp. Whilst you’re excited, it’s simply not the identical. The expectation shouldn’t be the identical.
I’ll inform you that, primarily based on our begin, the veteran gamers got here again and our health numbers have been higher. That’s the primary signal that you simply’re going to be OK. As a result of in a shortened summer time, the celebration didn’t take away from their coaching.
Wait, higher health testing than a yr in the past?
Yeah. And that was higher yr over yr from the primary yr. Which we had anticipated for the second yr. We thought that we might drop (this yr). Now, we’re going to get declining marginal returns on our health as a result of we’d prefer to assume we’re pushing towards the max health for our gamers.
After which, and perhaps that is simply me projecting this concept, however there’s somewhat little bit of quietness, extra so, from the brand new guys that got here on this yr. … Final yr, the brand new guys got here in and so they wish to be a bit of that to place you over the hump. And so they have been. They have been nice for us. After which this yr, these new guys are available, and so they don’t wish to f— it up, proper? And a few of it’s character, they labored very arduous, however they have been quiet. That’s perhaps the place that (journey to play the Stars in Finland in early November) was the most effective. As a result of A.J. Greer scores a game-winning objective, (Tomas) Nosek comes again and he’s enjoying, (Nate Schmidt) will get into an actual good tilly there. Uvis Balinskis performed left wing, proper wing and protection, all in the identical recreation, and now that’s the working joke.
You create these items with the brand new guys, and now they match. Now they’re part of this yr’s success. We’ll at all times carry final yr in a great way, however we’re not dwelling in it.
Paul Maurice gained the Stanley Cup in 2023-24 for the primary time in his lengthy NHL teaching profession. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Pictures)
I bear in mind speaking to the Lightning after they bought the primary of back-to-back titles and the way hungry they have been to do it once more, to set themselves aside from groups that win it as soon as. How actual is that motivation?
I referred to as all people I might that had gained one — some guys who’ve gained two, Jimmy (Rutherford), Rob Zettler (Tampa Bay assistant coach). I referred to as outdated trainers, outdated gamers. There was lots of, “It’s possible you’ll not look the best way you wish to look till Christmas. It takes you some time.” So I’m conscious of that. The opposite a part of it will be, there’s a sense that it’s yours, proper? Not essentially that it’s yours to lose — as a worry. It’s extra: It was so good. That feeling was so good. I believe the best way I take a look at it’s, there’s a very completely different power supply right here. There’s an angst while you haven’t gained and you reside with it each day. That drive to get higher, to get there. After which it occurs. I don’t really feel much less power in any respect. It’s only a extra constructive type of, “Oh My God, that was good. We bought to do all the pieces we are able to to do it once more.”
We don’t need to look proper now the best way we’re going to look. So long as it’s not on effort or what I’d say is element self-discipline, like your focus, so long as these two issues are there, if it’s not proper, there’s not a panic.
Is it a media fable that the Cup champs get everybody’s “A” recreation? As a result of I take a look at the NHL and everyone seems to be giving one another their “A” recreation as a result of it’s such an in depth league.
There are two items to this reply.
The primary is, it’s not as vital with us as a result of final yr we bought it. Two years in the past we performed a reasonably rambunctious, barely undisciplined recreation. And the following yr, all people anticipated that and knew it was going to be bodily and it’s going to be arduous. So while you’re driving to the rink, you’re wired for it. You’re staff and also you’re getting the opposite staff’s finest power. Possibly not their finest recreation, however no person is coming in saying, “That is going to be simple.”
This yr, perhaps the needle’s moved barely that means since you’ve bought the moniker of “Stanley Cup champion.” We expect we get all people’s finest, however we spend way more time speaking about how necessary it’s that we attain an emotional stage. I believe that’s our greatest problem. Discovering an emotional stage (for a recreation in November) while you’ve had a few years of runs.
You made some information just lately, signing a contract extension. How necessary was that?
It wasn’t in any respect. Not even remotely. It was extra planning for the group going ahead, I believe, than anything. We have been on the final yr of the deal. In some unspecified time in the future, probably, when you don’t get it executed, it turns into a dialog. “What’s going to occur?” And also you truly begin getting requested that towards the tip of the yr and the playoffs, which is the very last thing you’ll need.
It wasn’t a negotiation. (Panthers GM Invoice Zito) made me an actual beneficiant provide. I mentioned, “Thanks very a lot.” And that was it.
You didn’t know after stepping down in Winnipeg when you would coach once more. Now you signal a second deal right here. What would you have got mentioned if somebody advised you three years in the past this is able to be the case?
I most likely would have mentioned, “Something is feasible.” I bear in mind we have been in January that first yr right here, and issues weren’t good. They’d 122 factors the season earlier than I bought right here, and now I’ve coached them all the way down to 92 factors (laughs). However I felt an actual duty. Invoice Zito was very, very clear on what he thought he wanted right here. We bought into January, and no person was blissful besides Invoice. And I’m wondering, with out that type of stewardship …
We misplaced back-to-back video games popping out of Christmas, and I put them on the ice and gave it to them fairly good. Earlier than that, I defined to Invoice and mentioned, “We’ve bought to undergo this. It’s going to do certainly one of two issues. We’re both coming collectively right here or it’s going to splinter. However we’ve got to undergo this.” And Invoice mentioned, “one hundred pc. Get after ’em.” In a respectful means — don’t get me flawed.
It additionally wasn’t the inflection level. There have been different, extra necessary issues that occurred to our staff. However when it comes to my relationship with Invoice, he’s the visionary right here. He’s on the helm. “That is the place we’re going. That is how I see our staff. That is the most effective our staff can play. That is the course we have to go.”
How do you are feeling you probably did in having fun with the second in June? I’ve talked to coaches who’ve gained, and a few say it didn’t actually hit them totally till 5 years later how particular it was.
The sensation for me was peace. A peace that I’ve by no means felt in my complete profession. You’re at all times behind it since you’ve by no means gained. You’re at all times grinding for it. And, yeah, there’s a satisfaction, I assume.
Any person mentioned, “It’s a lot extra particular for you as a result of it took you 28, 29 years.” I’d have been OK with Yr 2! I’d have been advantageous with that!
It’s about 3 a.m. the evening we gained, we’re within the locker room, the sport ended after midnight, all people is exhausted. All our households are there. And Vladimir Tarasenko comes up and says, “Paul, how does it really feel?” And I mentioned, “Are you kidding, Vlad? It feels nice.” And he slaps me on the chest. He says, “Wait. It will get higher.” I’m pondering, “What the hell are you speaking about?” Properly, it’s true. You’re feeling it otherwise. The emotion connected to it. However typically you take a look at a man and also you bear in mind a second on the ice. I’ve by no means watched Recreation 7. The hockey is secondary to all of this.
You haven’t gone again and watched Recreation 7?
No. I’ve seen the final two minutes, however I’ve by no means watched the sport once more. I noticed snippets of it, in equity, after I’m prepping video. That might be like two months later. … Anyway, it was an unimaginable, peaceable summer time. The euphoria was that evening. And after that, it’s simply been extremely peaceable.
You additionally study. All of the cliches are literally true. Once you’re in Hartford and Carolina (teaching), that adversity you confronted there might price you your job. Numerous instances you’re getting paid by the hour mainly. It’s tight. Now, you’re nearly ready for it. Hoping for it. We’d like a specific amount of adversity in our recreation to beat to offer us an opportunity. It occurred in each of the previous two years. So that you don’t worry the adversity anymore. You embrace it. You attempt to use it. “What can we study from it?” And I believe that mindset helps you preserve power somewhat bit. There’s not as a lot nervousness in your day.
As a result of it’s not, “We lose this one, we’re in bother.” Now it’s, “We lose this one, we’re going to study from it.” We bought our butts kicked in Buffalo (5-2 on Oct. 12). We’ve solely misplaced one recreation in regulation since.
GO DEEPER
Celebrating Paul Maurice: Panthers coach’s Stanley Cup a special moment for those who shared his NHL journey
You get to the schooling half faster after a loss.
Proper. And we realized that within the playoffs. We bought beat 8-1 within the Stanley Cup Ultimate. We bought clubbed. However we discovered a means. It’s about studying from it.
There’s just one factor to do then: Discover that feeling once more.
Simply get the chance, proper? And the juice of that. That’s what we’re all craving now.
(High photograph: Emmi Korhonen / Getty Pictures)
