THE RETURN OF PAUL MAURICE TO WINNIPEG
By: Stephen Lylyk, RP Show Intern
“When you have a 26-year professional hockey coaching career, you know. They need a new voice. They need someone to help them get too that next place.”
That was then Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice in a December 2021 press conference announcing his official resignation.
As NHL.com Winnipeg writer and Bonfire TV host Darrin Bauming said on Monday’s Rod Pedersen show, even though Maurice accomplished great things in Winnipeg, it was time to make a coaching change.
“The reality, at least from my perspective, is that Paul Maurice lost the locker room in Winnipeg,” explained Bauming. “The guys in the locker room were maybe steering the ship.”
While the Jets search targeted names, like future hall-of-fame coach Barry Trotz, they ultimately would replace Maurice with former Dallas Stars coach Rick Bowness.
Bowness upon taking the job, gave this answer when asked to diagnose the biggest issue with the Jets.
“The culture was an issue last year,” said Bowness in an interview with NHL.com writer Tim Campbell following his hiring. “From all the players comments, it’s an issue. X’s and O’s don’t work if everyone’s not bought in. So we have to change that.”
Bowness first notable change was to remove the captaincy from Blake Wheeler. As Bowness said to the media following the news “It was a good time to look at changing the leadership of the locker room.”
“That’s a big move,” said Bauming to Pedersen regarding the Wheeler captaincy. “[Wheeler’s the highest paid player on this team, and clearly one of the emotional leaders in the locker room. They didn’t even give him an A (alternate captain), as those went to Josh Morrisey, Adam Lowry, and Mark Schiefle.”
Another way Bowness changed the locker room was holding the team to a strict standard even in victory.
Following Monday’s 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks Bowness used his postgame press conference to criticize the teams first period effort which found them trailing 2-0 at one point.
“It’s just not right to start a game like that,” said Bowness. “I’m not a babysitter. These Guys are men. They’re professionals and they’re paid to show up and go to work. My job is to make sure that happens.”
As the Jets currently sit second place in the Central division, it’s clear that Bowness’s methods are already leading to positive results.
“The dynamic has changed,” said Bauming. “The accountability has changed. Things are so much different, and we’re seeing it pay dividends. Not just in the win column, but also in the numbers of guys like Josh Morrisey.”
The 27 year old defensemen is off to a strong start to his campaign with 26 points through 23 games played.
“They’re starting to call him ‘Josh Norrisey’ here in Winnipeg, and rightly so,” said Bauming.
The Jets season continues Tuesday evening as they welcome the Florida Panthers, now coached by familiar figure Paul Maurice.
“People are going to honour Paul on the Jumbotron Tuesday night,” said Bauming. “Jets fans always do that. It’s an admirable thing they do. There’s going to be a little extra intrigue though, for many whom were either fans of Maurice, or critics of his.”
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV, YouTube Live and WQEE Radio)
