Stanley Cup champion Panthers and coach Paul Maurice agree on contract extension

SUNRISE, Fla. — The contract extension discussions between Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers weren’t precisely of the back-and-forth selection.

“There was actually no negotiation,” Maurice stated. “They made me a very nice provide and we shook fingers and I stated, ‘Thanks.’ And that was it.”

And with that, the Panthers are retaining their Stanley Cup-winning coach for the foreseeable future. Maurice and the Panthers have agreed on an prolonged contract, the staff introduced Tuesday with out disclosing phrases.

“I am desirous about teaching the Florida Panthers for so long as they’re going to have me,” Maurice stated. “It is nice coming to the rink.”

Maurice was within the remaining 12 months of a three-year deal, and it was a certainty that Panthers homeowners Vincent and Teresa Viola deliberate on retaining him round after he took the staff to the Stanley Cup Ultimate in every of his first two seasons.

“Paul has resolutely led our group to unprecedented success throughout his comparatively quick tenure in South Florida,” Panthers president of hockey operations and basic supervisor Invoice Zito stated in a press release. “He’s an excellent communicator and chief for our workers and gamers, possessing a eager strategic thoughts for the sport. We’re excited for Paul and his workers to proceed to maintain the Florida Panthers as a vacation spot franchise for the foreseeable future.”

The Panthers introduced the extension a pair hours earlier than taking the ice in opposition to Minnesota, shedding that sport 5-1.

“I am hopeful the ink dried on that factor,” Maurice quipped after the sport. “No, it is an honor. I am very grateful and appreciative to the Viola household, not only for their generosity however for the funding they’ve made right here through the years. … We have had success collectively however there’s lots of people that made that doable.”

Maurice has 98 regular-season wins with Florida, already the third most in membership historical past behind Jacques Martin (110) and Peter DeBoer (103). And his postseason success with the Panthers is past evaluate; he is gained 29 playoff video games with Florida – highlighted by the staff profitable its first Stanley Cup final season – whereas each different coach in membership historical past has 25 playoff wins mixed.

It is the newest huge deal that the staff has gotten completed, and extra proof that Florida’s championship core is perhaps collectively for years to return.

The Panthers introduced already this season that they’ve signed ahead Carter Verhaeghe to an eight-year extension, that means they’ve lots of their key gamers – additionally together with Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Gustav Forsling – beneath contract via a minimum of 2030. And the staff is speaking to ahead Sam Bennett about an extension as effectively.

“Guys actually belief him,” Bennett stated of Maurice. “They actually imagine in him and his methods, and it clearly works. Clearly, that is nice information for the Florida Panthers group.”

Maurice is second in NHL historical past in video games coached (1,856) behind Scotty Bowman (2,141), and fourth all-time in wins (873) behind Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969) and Barry Trotz (914).

Final season’s title by the Panthers was Maurice’s first Stanley Cup championship.