Usually, when a team clinches a spot in the playoffs they can’t contain their excitement.
It was the exact opposite for Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, as the bench boss could barely stifle his anger in an expletive-fuelled media availability following his team’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday, despite clinching a playoff berth.
However, instead of channelling his anger into a spirited rant, he gave the reporters free rein on what he called “Free quote [expletive] day” when asked about his team making it to the postseason.
“Today is free quote [expletive day],” Maurice said, fuming following the loss. “Take whatever you think I might say and use it. I won’t [expletive] about it.”
Though we’re not at liberty to make up quotes for Maurice, it was easy to read between the lines and assume that whatever he would say at that moment would be rather searing.
Generally an open book during media availabilities, the well-tenured bench boss is known for his humour, often joking around with reporters.
However comedically angry it may have been, Maurice is also likely hoping that it could be the sort of semi-silent but still infuriated motivation the team needs to get back on track.
The Panthers have struggled of late, winning only one game in their last seven and have suffered two shutouts over that span.
Despite their shortcomings of late, the Stanley Cup runner-ups from last season have controlled their own destiny and sit a whopping 16 points above the Washington Capitals and the second wild card spot.
With the Capitals’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it secured their spot in the post-season, joining the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes as the only teams in the East to book their tickets.
This will be the fifth straight year that the Panthers are headed to the dance and the second straight year under Maurice. What luck that it happened to fall on the same date as ‘Free quote [expletive] day.’
