“Were the Jets Wrong” – Former Jaets Coach Returns to Stanley Cup Final…
Paul Maurice, the former head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, has led the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the New York Rangers 2-1 in game six of the Eastern Conference Final. This marks Maurice’s fifth career appearance in a Conference Final and his second with the Panthers. The Panthers, having triumphed over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers, are making their second consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
Under Maurice’s guidance, the Panthers finished first in the Atlantic Division, second in the Eastern Conference, and fifth overall in the league. They concluded the 2023-24 regular season with a record of 52-24-6, accumulating 110 points.
This season’s performance was a marked improvement from their 2022-23 record of 42-32-8 with 92 points. Last season, the Panthers finished fourth in the Atlantic Division but managed to reach the Stanley Cup Final, where they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Maurice hopes for a different outcome this time. This will be his third appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals and his second with the Panthers. Maurice, who spent eight years as the Jets’ head coach, has found significant success with the Panthers.
Currently in the second year of his three-year coaching contract with the Panthers, Maurice has achieved notable success. Although he has yet to win a Stanley Cup, leading a team to consecutive appearances is a rare feat. He joins Jon Cooper, coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, as the only other coach of a Florida team to reach consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. While Cooper has won two Stanley Cups with three consecutive appearances, Maurice aims to carve his own path to victory. Only time will tell if he can achieve the ultimate success.
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