Panthers HC Paul Maurice makes his feelings known about former team Winnipeg Jets, drops subtle dig at himself

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice got honest about his former team, the Winnipeg Jets, ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Maurice was asked what the Jets need to do to win it all. He replied with a touch of humor and a clear message.

"Yeah, getting rid of your last coach was the right thing to do," Maurice said. "Won the Presidents Trophy."

Maurice stepped down as the Jets’ coach in December 2021 after nearly eight seasons. Since then, Dave Lowry (till 2022), Rick Bowness(till 2024), and Rick Bowness (2024-present) have held the positions.

Since his departure, the Jets have made progress. They finished this season with the NHL’s best record (56-22-4) and won the Presidents’ Trophy. Maurice said he still roots for Winnipeg and was cheering for them in the playoffs.

"I cheer for three teams, basically, cheer for the Vancouver classic because of Jim Rutherford," Maurice added. "Cheer for the Winnipeg Jets, because of ... Winnipeg and I was cheering for the Dallas Stars, for Peter DeBoer."

Maurice said his support doesn’t always seem to help, but he admired the spirit of the Jets and their leadership. He mentioned Mark Scheifele, who played despite losing his father during the playoffs, as an example of the team’s strong culture.

"Now my cheer for the team hasn't done much good, it seems, but they've just got their right story in Winnipeg for the National Hockey League," Maurice said.

"And what's right about the game. Saw it in the connection with what Mark Scheifele did to play in that game, the connection to his brothers, but that's not just a one-off, that starts at the top of that organization."

Maurice coached the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 to 2021. He led them to their first playoff appearance since the team moved from Atlanta and later guided them to the Western Conference Final in 2018. But after a slow start in 2021, he resigned, saying the team needed a new voice.

Winnipeg Jets failed to go deep in the playoffs

The Winnipeg Jets were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the second round, losing Game 6 in overtime. The Jets struggled to win on the road during the playoffs, going 0-6 away from home. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, while solid at home (47 regular-season wins), had poor numbers on the road. Depth scoring and injuries also contributed to their early exit.

Meanwhile, Paul Maurice is in his third season with the Panthers. Under his leadership, the Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, but finished the job against the Edmonton Oilers in 2024. Now, they are hoping to repeat it again and lift their second Stanley Cup.