It was reported early in the day Wednesday that a contract extension was expected for Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice, according to a number of media outlets.
Later during the day, it was confirmed the Jets had offered a multi-year contract extension for Maurice, who has been leading the squad since 2013.
Well Deserved Extension
The Hockey Central panel on Sportsnet said of the extension, “The fact that this team is right there scratching on the door of the playoffs says big things about Paul Maurice.” That couldn’t be more true.
Despite a dramatic season and chaos on the blue line, the Jets have surprised many by staying in the playoff hunt. Few coaches have been dealt the kind of blows to his lineup Maurice has, yet the team keeps chugging along. The team currently sits fourth in the Western Conference with 63 points.
Maurice said he knew the deal was eventually going to get done, but so many things happened with the organization this season, his deal was put on the back burner. “It was an inevitability it would happen.”
Global News’ Brittany Greenslade sat down with Maurice after the extension. He said of the news, “It feels great. It was never really a concern.” He added, “I think this is the fourth contract we’ve done with the Jets. The combined negotiating time might be ten minutes, it was that quick.”
Maurice, and his family have loved it in Winnipeg. “There was no decision for us,” he explained. ” We were going to probably stay one way or the other, but getting to stay and work here is perfect.”
Related: [Report] Jets Listening to Offers on Kyle Connor
What’s Next for Jets?
With the coaching position shored up for the foreseeable future, the next thing on the docket is making sure the Jets have the tools they need to compete in the playoffs. That might include GM Kevin Cheveldayoff adding before the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb 24.
With Dustin Byfuglien’s situation almost all but taken care of, what the Jets do and how they improve their blue line will be one of the stories many insiders have their eyes on over the next 10-12 days.
“We thought that if we could get to the trade deadline in the fight then we would have a real good chance.”
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