Paul Maurice Makes History, Reflects on 2,000 NHL Games

SUNRISE, Fla. — At times, Paul Maurice is a man of few words.

It’s not when he’s trying to fire his team up, or arguing a missed call — the words, and tone, raises then. But when the spotlight is on Paul Maurice, the 59-year-old Panthers head coach doesn’t want the recognition.

Unfortunately for the future Hall of Famer, the spotlight was focused on him Tuesday night in Sunrise.

As the puck dropped between his banged up Panthers squad and the playoff hopeful Seattle Kraken, Maurice became just the second person in history to coach 2,000 career NHL games (Scotty Bowman was the first).

A short tribute video was played after the first tv timeout recognizing Maurice on the achievement. Though, to his delight, Maurice had to wait until there was four minutes left in the opening period before seeing it, as there was a rare eight minutes and 42 seconds of uninterrupted hockey that delayed his moment.

“I was kind of hoping we can run that thing (the first period) right to the intermission and we can just say ‘hey, sorry coach’”, Maurice joked about the delay. “That [video] was very appreciated. That was very nice.”

History has been made tonight, Paul Maurice becomes just the second coach in NHL history to coach 2,000 NHL games.

It’s been fun covering a small amount of those over the past few seasons here. pic.twitter.com/oiL3fTlEjr
— Alex Baumgartner (@ABaumgartner91) March 24, 2026

There was also a near-nine minute video that was too long to show during the game posted to social media; current and former players, his coaching staff, mentors, and close friends gave their congratulations. Maurice received an even longer, non-PG version of the tribute.

“I don’t think all the language would’ve made that one,” Maurice laughed when finding out there was an editor’s cut to his tribute video. “You know, that Lundell guy dropping bombs all over this.”

“I really appreciated that,” he continued. [There] were some faces I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Whether Maurice liked it or not, for that brief moment, the spotlight was on the proud son of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Growing up in the small Canadian town on the north shore of the St. Mary’s river, Maurice didn’t think reaching the NHL was a possibility, much less becoming the only man to have his name in the same conversation as the great Scotty Bowman.

“Not a chance, that will never happen,” Maurice responded when asked if the younger version of himself could envision coaching 2,000 NHL games. “I grew up watching the Montreal Canadiens and Scotty Bowman as a young coach. That’s a whole different world from a kid from the Soo. The National Hockey League is a dream, and that was true in my early twenties.

“At that point Major junior hockey was probably all I had thought about — if I could be a good coach there,” he pondered . “And then life happens to you and next thing you got a couple thousand games in and you got a group of guys you love coming to work with. I don’t feel like 2,000 [games] is kind of the end of it for me. It wasn’t ‘hang out until a number’, I don’t feel that…I love coming to the rink. I love working here. I love living in Florida. I love these guys.”

Being the only head coach in Panthers history to win the Stanley Cup, much less two of them in consecutive seasons, Maurice has become a franchise legend in South Florida, with his popularity even eclipsing many of the players.

When he was shown on the Jumbotron Tuesday night, the Panthers faithful gave the once scrutinized, now beloved bench leader a hefty standing ovation.

“This place has been great. The fans have been great here. I really appreciate the acknowledgment from the Florida Panthers and the fans. I truly appreciate that.”

A Youthful Beginning

Jan 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice looks on during the second period in the 2026 Winter Classic ice hockey game against the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

The first time Maurice stood behind the bench in the National Hockey League was Nov. 7 1995. He took over as head coach of the now relocated Hartford Whalers (became the Carolina Hurricanes), assuming the position from Paul Holmgren — whom Maurice mentioned as one of the people he was happy to see in his tribute video.

“Paul was really, really good to me,” Maurice said of Holmgren. “He’s the guy that probably was the tipping point because I had turned the [Whalers’] job down three times because I knew I wasn’t ready. I ran into him in the underground parking lot — he was an intimidating man. He was the guy that said ‘hey kid, if they give you the job take it because you never know if you’re going to get another chance’, and then I went upstairs and took the job.”

Another influential key piece to Maurice’s eventual long NHL career was Jim Rutherford — now President of the Vancouver Canucks, then General Manager of the Whalers. If it wasn’t for Rutherford entrusting the bench to a young Maurice, he may have never hit 2,000 games, much less one in the NHL.

“I got to spend an hour with [Jim] when we were in Vancouver (earlier in March),” Maurice said. “That was wonderful.”

A Leader of Men

If you’ve only been a hockey fan for the past few years, you’d be surprised to know the Florida Panthers were an organization that were a lamentable franchise for much of its history.

Long stretched without postseason success — even longer stretches of no postseason appearances, relocating rumours, and a never-ending revolving door of head coaches.

Maurice took the Panthers job in 2022, less than a year after stepping down as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, a position he held for nine seasons. Fast forward nearly four seasons, Maurice’s 316 games (176-119-21) behind the Panthers bench is the most in franchise history; reaching three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals — while winning back-to-back championships in the latter years — has been the highlight of his tenure in Sunrise.

Aaron Ekblad, who also set a milestone on Tuesday when he became the first Panther’s defenseman to play in 800 games with the organization, was straightforward when describing how many of Paul Maurice’s players, both current and former, think of him:

“He’s the greatest hockey mind to ever live.”
Aaron Ekblad