Paul Maurice hired as new coach of the Florida Panthers
Panthers Maurice FILE -Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice talks to his players during NHL hockey training camp practice in Winnipeg, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. A person with knowledge of the situation said Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers were in the process Wednesday, June 22, 2022 of finalizing a deal to make him the club's new coach. The 55-year-old Maurice will be introduced Thursday morning, the Panthers said. Maurice will replace Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette, who could remain with the organization if he chooses to do so. TSN first reported that the Panthers and Maurice were finalizing an agreement.
wftv.comAP source: Maurice closing in on deal to coach Panthers
Panthers Maurice FILE -Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice talks to his players during NHL hockey training camp practice in Winnipeg, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. A person with knowledge of the situation said Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers were in the process Wednesday, June 22, 2022 of finalizing a deal to make him the club's new coach. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP, File) (JOHN WOODS)SUNRISE, Fla. — (AP) — Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers are in the process of finalizing a deal to make him the club's new coach, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Maurice will replace Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette, who could remain with the organization if he chooses to do so. TSN first reported that the Panthers and Maurice were finalizing an agreement.
wftv.comNHL defends disciplinary decisions in Blackhawks scandal
Canucks Kraken Hockey NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks before an NHL hockey game between the Seattle Kraken and the Vancouver Canucks, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)Commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday defended the NHL’s decisions and discipline meted out following an investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks' handling of sexual assault allegations in 2010. Bettman called the organization's $2 million fine "significant" and stood by decisions to let Joel Quenneville coach one more game and not discipline Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff based on his limited role in Chicago's front office at the time. Quenneville resigned as Florida Panthers coach after meeting with Bettman last week. The NHL Players’ Association has an executive board meeting scheduled for later Monday to discuss how Beach’s allegations were handled.
wftv.comBoston beats Panthers, stops season-opening win streak at 8
Panthers Bruins Hockey Florida Panthers' Anthony Duclair, center right, celebrates his goal with Aaron Ekblad (5), MacKenzie Weegar (52) and Aleksander Barkov (16) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (Michael Dwyer)BOSTON — (AP) — Charlie Coyle had the only score in the shootout and the Boston Bruins beat Florida 3-2 Saturday night, ending the Panthers’ season-opening winning streak at eight games. Anthony Duclair also scored for the Panthers, his sixth of the season, and Knight made 31 saves in his third start. Knight -- playing back on familiar ice in Boston, the city where he played his college hockey -- also saw his personal unbeaten streak end. REMEMBERING JIMMY HAYESThe Bruins and Panthers honored former player Jimmy Hayes by wearing special warmup jerseys with “Haysey” and “Broadway,” his two nicknames.
wftv.comPanthers entrust team to Andrew Brunette after Quenneville
Panthers After Quenneville Hockey Florida Panthers assistant coach Andrew Brunette, center, talks with players during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Chicago. Brunette spent four years playing for Joel Quenneville, and until Thursday night, Oct. 28, 2021, worked for Joel Quenneville. Brunette debuted as the replacement for Joel Quenneville as Florida's coach on Friday, running the Panthers through a game-day practice in Detroit. It's a sad day for our organization, it's a sad day for our players, it's a sad day for the game of hockey." Quenneville — a three-time Cup-winning coach, all with Chicago — and the Panthers came calling in 2019, offering Brunette a job as an assistant.
wftv.comJoel Quenneville steps down as Florida Panthers coach amid sex assault scandal
Coach resigns: Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville was behind the bench when the team faced Boston on Wednesday night. The Florida Panthers announced today that Head Coach Joel Quenneville has resigned from his role with the club. An interim head coach announcement will be forthcoming.https://t.co/h6Bv3OVdFk — Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) October 29, 2021Assistant coach Andrew Brunette will take over as interim coach, an NHL source told ESPN. The Sun-Sentinel also confirmed that Brunette, who has never been a head coach in the NHL, will take over the team. No one should ever have to endure what Kyle Beach experienced during, and long after, his time in Chicago.
wftv.comAmid scandal, Quenneville resigns as Florida Panthers coach
“Joel made the decision to resign and the Florida Panthers accepted that resignation,” Panthers President Matthew Caldwell said. The Panthers were planning to name an interim coach shortly, possibly even Thursday night. “It stands in direct contrast to our values as an organization and what the Florida Panthers stand for. Stan Bowman, like Quenneville, was among the central figures identified as having not acted properly and swiftly to Beach's allegations. Florida plays at Detroit on Friday, looking to become the fifth franchise — and seventh team — in NHL history to begin a season with eight consecutive victories.
wftv.comAmid scandal, Quenneville resigns as Florida Panthers coach
Joel Quenneville resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers on Thursday, two days after the second-winningest coach in NHL history was among those implicated for not swiftly responding to allegations by a Chicago Blackhawks player of being sexually assaulted by another coach during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Quenneville's meeting with Bettman may decide Florida fate
The Blackhawks pledged to release the findings of the investigation, which general manager Stan Bowman, former coach Quenneville and others who were in the organization at the time agreed to cooperate with. Beach said a meeting about his claims — it was not clear which one he was referring to — took place in Quenneville's office. “Our focus is on the ice,” Florida defenseman Brandon Montour insisted Wednesday, before the game. The success Quenneville had in Chicago — three Stanley Cups — was why Florida brought him in to coach the Panthers a little over two seasons ago. He's one of the biggest reasons why this Florida team believes it, finally, can win a title.
wftv.com'Animalism': Blackhawks scandal raises culture questions
Blackhawks Investigation Hockey FILE - In this May 3, 2021, file photo, the Chicago Blackhawks logo is displayed on a jersey in Raleigh, N.C. That's how long it took for the leadership of the Chicago Blackhawks to act on allegations that an assistant coach sexually assaulted a player. Three weeks that — more than a decade later — rocked a once-proud franchise and raised more questions about the culture of sports. Both were with the Blackhawks when the allegations were first reported to team leadership. During those three weeks, Aldrich continued to work for and travel with the team.
wftv.comQuenneville's meeting with Bettman may decide Florida fate
The Panthers are rolling this season but coach Joel Quenneville being named in a report detailing how the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled sexual assault allegations that an assistant on his staff sexually assaulted a player during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2010 could derail Florida's hopes.
Blackhawks GM resigns, team fined after sexual assault probe
Blackhawks Investigation Bowman Hockey FILE- In this July 26, 2019, file photo, Chicago Blackhawks senior vice president and general manager Stan Bowman speaks to the media during the NHL hockey team's convention in Chicago. Bowman resigned Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, following an investigation into allegations that an assistant coach sexually assaulted a player in 2010. “I learned this year that the inappropriate behavior involved a serious allegation of sexual assault. A former player said Aldrich assaulted him, and that the team did nothing after he informed an employee. The lawsuit, filed May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player.
wftv.comQuenneville offers to participate in Blackhawks review
Quenneville, 62, coached Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles over 10-plus seasons before he was fired by the team in November 2018. Making his first public comments since the suits were filed, Quenneville called the allegations “clearly serious.”“I first learned of these allegations through the media earlier this summer,” Quenneville said Tuesday in a statement provided by the Panthers. "I have contacted the Blackhawks organization to let them know I will support and participate in the independent review. The suit also alleges Aldrich assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. After leaving the Blackhawks, Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a high school student and is now on that state’s registry of sex offenders.
wftv.comSunshine State showdown: Lightning-Panthers in NHL's Round 1
Florida was second in the Central Division, Tampa Bay third. “I think we made giant strides over the course of the year, from this year to last year,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. He missed the entire regular season with a hip injury. “The big thing for me is to not sit here and say ‘Kucherov is coming back, like all problems are solved,’” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “We haven’t had our full team,” Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh said.
wftv.comFlorida Panthers off to 2nd-best start in franchise history
Florida’s 6-1-2 start through nine games is the second-best in franchise history, topped only by the 6-0-3 record to open the 1996-97 season. “We've been consistent in most games," Florida coach Joel Quenneville said. Starting poorly, however, has pretty much snuffed out some Panthers seasons before they even started. The five Florida teams that went to the playoffs — 1995-96, 1996-97, 1999-2000, 2011-12 and 2015-16 — averaged 12 standings points through the season’s first nine games. There’s obviously a long way to go, but the Panthers finally have the start they wanted.
Colliton agrees to 2-year extension with Blackhawks
CHICAGO – Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton agreed to a two-year contract extension Tuesday on the eve of his third season with the team. Colliton is 62-58-17 since he replaced Joel Quenneville in November 2018, becoming the 38th coach in franchise history. He guided Chicago into the postseason last year, winning a four-game series against Edmonton before being eliminated by Vegas. The Blackhawks open this season on Colliton's 36th birthday on Wednesday at Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay. “Jeremy has shown an innate ability to develop young talent throughout his two seasons as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks,” President of Hockey Operations Stan Bowman said in a release.
Throwback 5-game series force players to 'embrace the grind'
In a unique situation like this, youre going from not playing to playing playoff-style hockey, so youve got to embrace the grind mentally, physically.This is a different kind of grind after four-plus months off the ice. Eddie Olczyk won and lost one best-of-five series early in his playing career with Chicago and remembers the nerves of being 18 and 19 years old in those moments. Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour understands that urgency despite being drafted two years after the NHL moved to all best-of-seven series. His Hurricanes face the Rangers, whose president, John Davidson, won the only two best-of-five series he played in with New York. In a short series, Quenneville said, anything can happen.___AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.
NHL's older coaches debate wearing masks, taking precautions
In this photo provided by the Dallas Stars NHL hockey team, interim head coach Rick Bowness watches practice in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, July 14, 2020. You get out there and you miss it, the Dallas Stars coach said. You realize how much you enjoy being out there.The NHLs oldest head coach still worries about COVID-19 but not enough to stop doing his job. Im going to have to adjust to it, there is no question. The average age of the 24 head coaches in the playoffs is just under 54, the second-oldest behind the NBA among North Americas four major professional sports leagues.