"I don't care anymore": Paul Maurice delves into his mindset during legendary post-game interviews & his inspiration behind them

By Arnab Mondal

Modified Jun 07, 2024 03:23 GMT

Pan͏t͏hers͏ HC Paul Maurice ͏has garnered a reputation for his entertaining and in͏si͏g͏htful pres͏s conf͏ere͏nc͏e͏s. During a recent one-on-one with Ka͏ti͏e Engles͏on, he r͏evealed th͏e ͏inspir͏a͏ti͏ons and ͏mi͏nd͏set behind h͏is interviews.

En͏gleson mentioned the buzz around Paul Maurice's press conferences, shar͏ing that some fans e͏ven ͏expressed͏ ͏a͏ des͏ir͏e for hi͏m ͏to be their͏ lif͏e ͏coach.͏ Maurice respon͏ded with characteristic humility͏ and humor, ac͏knowledgi͏ng the ͏d͏ual n͏ature of pub͏lic opinion:

"It's very kind. I get roasted just as much or so I'm told because I don't read a lot, but I get roasted just as much."

Reflecting on his approach, Maurice shared an anecdote about his older brother, Mike: He said:

"'I love listening to your press conferences because that's where I learn about the game.' And that really kind of hit me ... there are people who actually want to know about hockey."

This realization led him to take his time and explain the game thoughtfully.

Paul Maurice also mentioned his middle son, who aspires to be a broadcaster:

"I think about this when I'm answering your questions. Sometimes if that was my kid asking an NHL coach a question and you were a jerk about it, I'd want to kill, like, I would take that so very personally."

Honesty is a cornerstone of Maurice's press conference demeanor. He believes people can sense sincerity:

"I try to tell the truth...I think that resonates with people."

He also admits to a certain carefree attitude with age:

"You're a little older, I know this isn't the right set of words, I don't care anymore. You ask me a question, I kind of feel the answer, and now I just spit it out."

Maurice's legendary interviews often feature memorable lines. In one instance, he humorously responded to a question:

"If the text is a statement, does it need to be answered?"

Another time, he laughed off a question about a giveaway:

"That is awesome."

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Paul Maurice’s emotional speech after Panthers reach Finals

Every Florida Panthers player sat at his stall in the dressing room as Paul Maurice stood before them.

Known for his quick quips and sly remarks during interviews, Maurice showed a softer side following their Eastern Conference final-clinching Game 6 win against the New York Rangers.

“Well done, lads. Well done,” Maurice began in a video posted by the Panthers.

“We do talk about last year a lot because we should. We learned a lot. Every round win felt like an accomplishment, a major [expletive] accomplishment. This year, it’s all part of the journey, right?”

Maurice highlighted the team’s unity and resilience, particularly recognizing Jonah Gadjovich, who had been away due to his wife giving birth to twins.

“There’s 27 of you. Everybody’s important. Everybody’s a lead dog. We’re all part of the pack. So we talked about courage and brotherhood before this game tonight.

"The second thing I’m going to take is your [expletive] third period was awesome! Outstanding! You’re all [expletive] brilliant, and I love every one of ya.”

Panthers GM Bill Zito praised Maurice’s emotional intelligence:

“It’s almost as if he could address a room of people and say something that at once punches me in the chest and envelops you with a hug. He knows who to pull. He knows who to push. He knows who to hug.”

As the Panthers prepare for the Stanley Cup Finals, Paul Maurice’s speech perfectly sums up their journey.