Hextall on Hockey: Paul Maurice to Seattle?

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One of hockey’s best insiders says he’s hearing Paul Maurice as head coach for the NHL’s 32nd franchise.

Last week, Elliotte Friedman reported on his 31 Thoughts podcast that he has sources who believe the Winnipeg Jets head coach will join the Seattle NHL expansion team.

Perhaps it’s the fact that Seattle won’t skate into action until the 2021-22 season that left Winnipeg’s hockey audience shrugging its shoulders. But that shouldn’t be the case.

Maurice, who’s in a Jack Adams-type campaign, will complete his multi-year contract with the Jets at the end of the season.

In Seattle, GM Ron Francis set a timeline to hire a coach in the off-season prior to the team’s first year. But if the perfect candidate became available, the organization wouldn’t be afraid to pull the trigger.

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Paul Maurice could be that candidate.

There’s a familiarity and great respect between Maurice and Francis, as the Hall of Famer played under Maurice and was an associate coach for him in Carolina.

Francis knows first-hand that Maurice has the ability to bring a mish-mash of players together to win. From developing youth, to guiding elite talent, to managing personalities in the room, Maurice has the skills to be a strong fit in Seattle. It makes sense.

It makes even more sense if Maurice can bring his entire coaching staff with him. While not confirmed by the Jets, as it’s team policy not to discuss contract terms, past practice dictates that associates’ contracts wouldn’t have more term than that of the head coach.

I suspect the Jets’ entire coaching staff will be free agents at the end of the season – a staff that is deeply loyal to its leader in Maurice.

When asked about the Seattle speculation on Monday, Maurice stated that Winnipeg is home and he wants to be with the Jets as long as the team wants him to be.

He added that it’s about the right guy at the right time coaching the Jets.

And that’s the key. Does the Jets ownership believe Maurice is the “right guy” right now to extend his contract before Maurice becomes a free agent?

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