Maurice Said He Hopes Winnipeg Jets Win the Stanley Cup

FORT LAUDERDALE — Paul Maurice said he hoped the Winnipeg Jets would “win the next Stanley Cup.’’

Those words, which obviously drew a lot of attention north of the border, came during the Florida Panthers celebration late on June 24, not long after the Panthers won the Stanley Cup themselves with a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Final.

Speaking to Sportsnet while on the ice, Maurice said “if I could have one thing more, it would be for the Winnipeg Jets to win the next Stanley Cup.”

Maurice spent nine seasons as coach of the Jets, helping transform the team from mediocrity to contender after moving north from Atlanta.

In those nine seasons, the Thrashers/Jets franchise won their first playoff series, and went to the Western Conference final twice.

Maurice’s departure from the Jets was a bit controversial, as he resigned on Dec. 17, 2022, with his team stalled at 13-10-5.

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There had been rumors the Jets were thinking about making a coaching change, but Maurice has repeatedly said that stepping down — and firing himself, basically — was not only his idea, but the best course for a team that he truly cared for.

Maurice was hired as coach of the Panthers about six months later.

Speaking to NHL.com on Thursday before the Jets visit Sunrise in the first of a home-and-home series against the Panthers, Maurice said Winnipeg remains a place near and dear to his heart.

He still has family living there, and he and his family vacation in the area during the summer.

Winnipeg, which will visit the Panthers tonight before hosting Florida on Tuesday, is off to a historic start and the first team in NHL history to win 15 of its first 16 games.

The Jets are now 15-2-0 after losing to the Lightning on Thursday night.

“I left at the right time,’’ Maurice said per NHL.com. “I gave them a chance. There are a lot of really good hockey players there. Good people, too. 

“I think I’m happy because it was almost at an inflection point when I left. They did a miraculous job in finding the right kind of people to build that team.

“The bones were there, but they added some really important people. It’s not always easy to do that in Winnipeg, because there are players who don’t like playing there. But they’ve done an incredible job finding men who love what they’re doing.” 

When asked about saying what he said about the Jets winning the Stanley Cup, Maurice admitted it was an emotional scene that night in Sunrise

He spoke about how much finally winning the Stanley Cup meant to him personally, but also what it meant to his family, friends, players, and those closest to him.

And he knows what winning the Stanley Cup would mean to the smallest market in the NHL.

“You know, it came out my mouth because, well, it was just all emotion at that point,’’ Maurice said. 

“That’s the way I felt. It was just such a wonderful feeling. And the Winnipeg Jets are a special story. It is a different market, a close-knit community, and all the good things we love about our sport are right there. 

“So, you want that success for them. I hope they have great success and the franchise stays there for a very, very long time.” 

As far as playing the Jets with his Panthers go, the next two games should feel like a true heavyweight bout.

The Jets obviously are atop the NHL standings with 30 points; the Panthers are fourth with 23.

This series could be a Cup Final preview.

“We’re coming up on three years, so it’s good to see people you haven’t seen for a while,’’ said Maurice, who is 0-3-1 against the Jets as coach of the Panthers.

“I think the far bigger story is where they are right now. They’re on an absolute heater, and they’ve earned it all. They’re a contending team now, and it should make for two great games.’’

George Richards, publisher of Florida Hockey Now, interviewed Maurice and wrote this story for NHL.com.

ON DECK: GAME 18

WINNIPEG JETS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last season: Winnipeg won 2-0
• This season — At Florida: Saturday. At Winnipeg: Tuesday.
• All-time regular season series: Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets lead 54-31-8, 5 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m. ET