Paul Maurice

Lore & Background

Maurice played four years of junior ice hockey as a defenceman in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) prior to suffering an eye injury. He started his NHL coaching career with the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise from 1995 to 2003 and the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2006 to 2008. On December 3, 2008, Maurice was rehired by the Hurricanes after the firing of Peter Laviolette, who had replaced him in 2003. On November 28, 2011, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that Maurice had been fired for a second time, whereupon, after a brief stint coaching Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), he joined the Winnipeg Jets in January 2014.

After his resignation from the Jets in December 2021, Maurice was named head coach of the Florida Panthers in June 2022, and led the Panthers to three consecutive appearances in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. On June 24, 2024, Maurice coached the Panthers to the team's first Stanley Cup championship, winning the series in seven games against the Edmonton Oilers. He did so in his 26th season as head coach, the most seasons coached for a first-time champion.

On June 17, 2025, Maurice coached the Panthers to their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, winning the series in six games against the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Reader's Guide

Maurice began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Windsor Spitfires after he retired as a player. He later became head coach of the Detroit Jr. Red Wings in 1993–94. He joined the Hartford Whalers as an assistant coach under Paul Holmgren in 1995, and after the Whalers struggled to a 5–6–1 record, Holmgren was fired and Maurice was promoted to head coach. At age 28, Maurice became the second youngest coach in NHL history, behind Gary Green, who was 26 when he took the helm of the Washington Capitals in 1979.

Did You Know?

• Maurice was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 12th round, 252nd overall, in the 1985 NHL entry draft, which was the final selection of that year's draft.
• Maurice still has a blind spot and suffers fuzziness on the right side of his vision as a result of an eye injury suffered during his playing career.