After a practice day on Friday, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice discussed the upcoming Maple Leafs vs. Panthers series, his former players in the Leafs’ lineup, and starting the series in Toronto after winning all three road games vs. Tampa.
What are your thoughts on drawing the Maple Leafs in the second round? It’s another tough test, obviously.
Maurice: There are some similarities to our first round. There is really high-end, elite skill. They have good goaltending. They have a good defensive structure to their team. Those things will be the similarities for us that we will start with.
There are a few players on the Leafs who were a part of your Cup run last season. What is it like to see them on the opposite side of it, specifically with Anthony Stolarz taking over the net in Toronto?
Maurice: Good for all of them.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson had established his career long before he came to us. He was a big part of our success last year. But both of those men, Steven Lorentz and Anthony Stolarz, are at a new level and a new opportunity with Toronto. They’ve made the most of it. They’ve played very, very well.
We are happy for them. Those guys were a big part of it, and that story gets to endure in our locker room for those who played, so they still are a big part of that story. I am happy they have been able to find a place where their opportunity and input to the success of the Toronto Maple Leafs is really important.
Sticking with those former players from last season, the team had the parade last season, and the next day, those guys were gone.
Maurice: But you knew it. You weren’t shocked by it. It was inevitable that it was going to happen.
We felt the exact same way about Kevin Stenlund, Ryan Lomberg, and all of these guys. You love them, and then, in truth, your sadness was assuaged by Sam Reinhart signing in the last hour. Everyone was in a pretty good mood after that one. We got over it.
Did you know in the moment that it would be the last party together?
Maurice: As players, you know there are guys on your team whose window is small. Certain players get to a point financially in their career where they can play wherever they want for whatever dollar amount. They can accept less. But there are guys for whom it is a pretty big deal getting a contract coming off of winning a Stanley Cup. They need to go somewhere else. They are not playing until they’re 60. They have a window.
A lot of times, for those players in the fourth line role, there is some summertime concern about whether they are going to get a contract.
These guys all got deals, and they’ve earned them. They need to take them. They need to leave. For their families, they need to make as much money as they can in the window that they have.
After winning two road games to start the Tampa series, you are going to be starting on the road again in Toronto. What about your group specifically lends itself to being able to go on the road to a hostile environment at this time of year and have success?
Maurice: Depth, for sure. The matchup game won’t necessarily kill you. You are not going to get outmatched. You are not getting the first option you would want for most of the game. You have to have a certain amount of depth.
I just don’t think the road is anywhere near as intimidating as it used to be. It was a different game back when you thought home-ice advantage was everything. You needed it. I just don’t feel like that’s the same way.
We have enough depth. We would play a bit more of a grinding game, and you can win on the road with that game.
Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart were named finalists for the Selke Trophy. What is your instant reaction to the news?
Maurice: It gives you a little bit of insight into how much fun it is to coach this team. A guy who scores 56 goals gets nominated for the Selke award the next season, and then there is Barkov. Those are really critical pieces of our team.
Both are very, very talented men who will not cheat the game for the offensive payoff. They certainly produce for us, but their mindset for us is to play the game the right way. If there is an offensive play, they are going to make it, but they will be smart about it.
What great examples for our players. If you think about a young player like Samoskevich coming in, he is a skilled guy who would’ve been a point producer to get to the National Hockey League. Especially when you look at Sam Reinhart as a winger, he is a high-end goal scorer, but he has been nominated amongst so many great defensive players in the league. If you score 57 goals and get nominated for a Selke award, you are a special guy.
Sasha has already won it a couple of times, so he has proven himself to be that special player. Great example for all of our players.
Reinhart scored 57 goals last year and was one of the top penalty killers on the team. Some people around the league found it surprising. He did get a little bit of Selke love last year.
Maurice: This year, I think it was just noticed. If you can get to the final a couple of times, those names start to pop up. We would’ve known that. He is such a smart and honest player. Those two things go together. He can read the play, and he can make those reads defensively.
It is like the 3-on-3 overtime. There are guys who will let the rush happen, hope the goalie makes a save, and then you’re going the other way on an odd-man. It is not just in his DNA.
We are so fortunate. Clearly, he is starting to get the recognition he deserves.
Sergei Bobrovsky was out on the ice for 45 minutes, skating without taking any shots. He called it a mental maintenance day. Every goalie has to be mentally tough to reach these heights, but what makes Bob unique with his mental fortitude and preparation?
Maurice: I think he has spent so much time on his craft. Really, the growth for him now is that he has been able to figure out exactly what he needs and also get rid of the things that he doesn’t need. Sometimes, that is practice.
If you go back to between Game 6 and Game 7 last year, he didn’t hit the ice. He knew that was what he needed. He didn’t need the mindless shots. This time of year, there is not much to the practice shots.
He knows what he needs. He has put in the time. He has just built complete trust with Rob Tallas. Robby never goes to him and says, “You’re taking it too easy. You’re too casual about this.” He knows what Sergei needs, and they work together on it, but it is never from a point of, “Hey, you are not putting enough time or effort into it. Maybe you should focus on your job a little bit.” That is never a line we use.
