Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Panthers’ Paul Maurice moves into third on NHL all-time wins list
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

With the Florida Panthers winning 4-1 over the Detroit Red Wings , head coach Paul Maurice earned the 915th win of his career, putting him in sole possession of third on the NHL’s all-time list.

The only two coaches ahead of Maurice are Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville, who have 1,244 and 969 wins, respectively. He’s second all time with 1,928 games coached, trailing Bowman, who has coached 2,141 games. Maurice is also the all-time loss leader with 765.

“My appreciation for things is the whole group here,” Maurice told reporters after the game. “This has been a wholly and completely unexpected level of joy that I find in my job because of the men who are around here.”

Maurice, now in his 27th NHL season, is 915-765-99-148 in 1,928 career games with the Panthers, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets. The 58-year-old coach has made it to the Stanley Cup Final three times, taking the Hurricanes in 2002 and the Panthers in 2023 and 2024,

Last season, Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games, giving the franchise its first championship in its history, and Maurice his first Stanley Cup championship.

Before joining the NHL, Maurice spent five seasons as an assistant coach in the Ontario Hockey League with the Windsor Spitfires, Detroit Compuware Ambassadors and Detroit Junior Red Wings. He took over as head coach for the Junior Red Wings in 1993-94, and the following season, won an OHL Championship.

The Panthers are 36-29-4 with 96 points, third in the Atlantic Division. They’re four points back of the Maple Leafs for the top spot in the division. As it stands, they would face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of this spring’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST

Are the Montreal Canadiens and Lane Hutson Taking a Timeout?
NHL

Are the Montreal Canadiens and Lane Hutson Taking a Timeout?

Negotiations between the Montreal Canadiens and defenseman Lane Hutson have hit a wall, and according to multiple reports, tensions are running a tad high right now. This is not to say that things have gone off the rails or that a deal is in jeopardy of not getting done, but the potentially easy, slam-dunk deal that was coming between the two sides isn’t even a lay up at this point. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on his 32 Thoughts podcast and in his written column, talks between the two sides have become “emotional,” leading to what he described as “stalemate until everyone cools down.” Friedman said both parties are disappointed after being close to finalizing a deal before the start of the season, but now that isn’t happening. “I believe Lane Hutson wanted to sign before the season,” Friedman wrote. “There were several false starts, but things progressed to a point where a deal was possible. Now, we’re at a stalemate until everyone cools down, because there’s a lot of disappointment this didn’t close.” According to Friedman, the Canadiens’ offer was slightly below eight years at $9 million per season, including some deferred salary to help with the cap hit. The team also proposed a Canadian Retirement Compensation Arrangement (RCA) to soften the tax burden—something Hutson’s camp reportedly opposed. His representatives were seeking a deal above $72 million total and disagreed on the structure of the contract. Hutson Doesn’t Want to Leave the Canadiens On Monday, Hutson, 21, reiterated that he wants to remain in Montreal but is leaving negotiations to his agent. “Of course I want to be here, who wouldn’t?” Hutson said. While no one is panicking yet, the stalemate is a hiccup in what appears to be a bright season ahead for the Canadiens. The Habs see Hutson as a cornerstone blueliner, and locking him up long-term remains a priority. For now, both sides are stepping back — hoping cooler heads will eventually bring them back to the table.

The Big Five: NFL’s biggest surprises of the 2025 season — for better or worse
NFL

The Big Five: NFL’s biggest surprises of the 2025 season — for better or worse

The 2025 NFL season has already produced unexpected plot twists, with projected playoff teams struggling and preseason afterthoughts becoming the talk of the town. For better or worse, here are the NFL's most surprising teams entering Week 6. 1. Baltimore Ravens (1-4) When things can't possibly get worse for the Ravens, they reach new depths. By losing 44-10 in Week 5 to the Houston Texans, a team it has historically dominated, Baltimore tied for its worst home loss in franchise history. The Ravens made moves this week to improve a putrid secondary, acquiring safety Alohi Gilman from the Los Angeles Chargers for edge-rusher Odafe Oweh and signing free-agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but that's unlikely to provide immediate relief. In Week 6, Baltimore hosts the Los Angeles Rams, who have the league's second-ranked pass offense, so QB Matthew Stafford should carve up the defensive backfield with wideouts Puka Nacua (who is on a pace for a record-shattering season) and Davante Adams. Baltimore's offense, which is likely to be without two-time MVP starting quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) for the second consecutive week, won't be able to keep up in a shootout. Oddsmakers agree, with Los Angeles an 8.5-point favorite, per ESPN BET. The Ravens appear headed for a 1-5 record entering their Week 7 bye, but they have a much more favorable schedule when they return. According to ESPN's NFL Football Power Index, Baltimore ranks No. 25 in remaining strength of schedule. With a healthy Jackson and an AFC North up for grabs, don't rule out a second-half surge. Yet it's just as likely Baltimore spends all season in a hole it can't get out of. 2. Indianapolis Colts (4-1) The most surprising success story of the season is in Indianapolis, which has surpassed all expectations. Quarterback Daniel Jones, who entered 2025 3-13 in his past 16 starts, is playing like an MVP candidate. Through five games, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is 107-of-150 (71.3 percent) for 1,290 yards, nine total touchdowns and two interceptions. The offense has generated most of the headlines, and for good reason, but the defense has been a revelation as well. The unit has held three of its first five opponents under 300 yards and forced a turnover in each game. Indy's fortune might not change in Week 6 as it hosts the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off one of the most embarrassing collapses in recent history, blowing an 18-point lead at home to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. Arizona (2-3) has turned the ball over five times in its past two games. With road games remaining against the Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks, the Colts will soon provide a more accurate gauge on where they stand. But rather than being a Week 1 flash in the pan, Indianapolis looks built for the long haul. 3. San Francisco 49ers (4-1) Colts head coach Shane Steichen's main competition for Coach of the Year should be Kyle Shanahan, who has done a masterful job of leading a hobbled 49ers squad to the top of the NFC West. San Francisco is 3-0 without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, with Mac Jones joining Daniel Jones as one of the year's great reclamation projects. The Niners are also thriving without elite production in the run game from Christian McCaffrey, who is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. San Francisco is already 3-0 in division games, but to maintain its edge in the NFC West, the offense must become more balanced. Through Week 5, the Niners are first in pass offense (290.6 yards per game) but rank last in yards per rush attempt (3.1) and are the league's only team without a rushing touchdown. (Every other team has at least two.) 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) The Jaguars made the AFC South the only NFL division with two one-loss teams after coming back to win at home against the three-time defending AFC champion Chiefs in Week 5. Jacksonville ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Jaguars have ascending talent on both sides of the ball, with running back Travis Etienne (443 rushing yards) averaging career highs in yards per carry (5.8) and rush yards per game (88.6). First-year head coach Liam Coen has done a good job of running him in advantageous situations, with Etienne only facing a stacked box (eight or more defenders near the line of scrimmage) on 13 percent of his carries, the sixth-lowest rate among qualifying running backs, per NFL Pro. The defense, led by first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, a former Green Bay Packers linebackers coach/run game coordinator, has more than held up on its end, forcing an NFL-high 14 turnovers. Linebacker Devin Lloyd (four interceptions, one fumble recovery) is one of the league's most improved players. ESPN's FPI gives the Jaguars a 75.4 percent chance to reach the playoffs, the third-highest odds in the AFC, trailing the Buffalo Bills (92.2 percent) and Colts (85 percent). 5. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) "I'm processing it poorly to tell you the truth," first-year Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, 74, told reporters after his team's 40-6 trouncing at the Colts last Sunday. "I did expect to win right out of the chutes," Carroll added. Technically, Las Vegas did, defeating the New England Patriots (3-2) in Week 1. But four consecutive losses have dimmed hopes of a playoff run and instead raised significant questions, particularly at quarterback. Geno Smith, acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, has regressed significantly after a strong three-year run as Seahawks starter. Through five games, Smith leads the NFL in interceptions (nine), throwing one on 5.5 percent of his pass attempts, more than double his rate from 2022-24 (2.1 percent). Instead of contending for a postseason spot, the Raiders, a longtime doormat, are closer to the No. 1 pick. Las Vegas is projected to end the season with the league's fifth-worst record, per ESPN. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bengals' Zac Taylor explains shocking Joe Flacco move for Packers game
NFL

Bengals' Zac Taylor explains shocking Joe Flacco move for Packers game

Roughly 24 hours after outsiders learned that the Cincinnati Bengals were acquiring veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that Flacco will start over Jake Browning when 2-3 Cincinnati plays at the Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) this coming Sunday. While speaking with media members, Taylor explained that somewhat surprising decision. Why Zac Taylor believes he can get Joe Flacco "up to speed quickly" "He's already spent a lot of time meeting with us, getting up to speed, so I feel really good about where he's at," Taylor said about Flacco, per Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "You just know him. ...Very comfortable with his style, concepts he's good at, things that we do. All of the terminology, there's a carryover, more so than I would have anticipated. So I feel like we can get him up to speed quickly." Flacco lost three of four September starts with the Browns before the Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player was benched in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. According to Pro Football Reference stats, Flacco began Wednesday ranked last in the NFL among qualified players with a 60.3 passer rating for the ongoing season. Additionally, he's 28th out of 32 signal-callers with a 36.7 adjusted QBR. That said, Flacco is a 40-year-old who has seen every defensive concept an opposing coordinator could and will throw his way. Back on Sept. 21, he helped the Browns earn a 13-10 win over the Packers in downtown Cleveland. Zac Taylor likes that Joe Flacco faced this Packers defense in September "It's different than a young quarterback coming in, trying to learn the system and understand what a defense is trying to do to try to challenge you," Taylor added about his decision to start Flacco versus the Packers. "Not only that, but he's played Green Bay this year, so he's already gone through a week of prep. ...Now the communication and the weekly rhythm is maybe different and unique, but he's already prepared for this opponent. So he gets a chance to refresh himself on that, while at the same time just learning our system and our terminology...and how we operate." Shortly after Taylor made his comments, ESPN BET had the Bengals listed as massive 14.5-point underdogs against Green Bay. Perhaps that line and the fact that he was discarded by Cleveland will give Flacco some extra motivation heading into the showdown that will take place at Lambeau Field.

Commanders’ latest pursuit ends in uncertainty and uneasy silence
NFL

Commanders’ latest pursuit ends in uncertainty and uneasy silence

The Washington Commanders wanted to take a look at another once-promising edge rusher to give one of the team's surprising strengths a boost. However, early indications suggest that nothing will come from the visit. Adam Schefter from ESPN reported that the Commanders were among three teams that had scheduled meetings with Drake Jackson. Peters was part of the San Francisco 49ers front office that spent a second-round pick on the explosive pass-rusher, but injuries have decimated his time in the NFL so far. Jackson was let go by the Niners after barely featuring for the best part of two seasons. He was a gifted player in college, but San Francisco felt it was one roadblock too many for the player to overcome. Drake Jackson left the Commanders without a deal after his recent visit Peters wanted to know for sure. The NFL's transaction wire revealed that the Commanders spent time with Jackson on Tuesday, which probably involved a workout of some kind and some medical assessments as part of the team's due diligence. Jackson left without a deal. He's also set to meet with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens, which might have something to do with it. But if the Commanders were 100 percent convinced that the former USC standout had something to offer, chances are that Peters wouldn't have let him leave the building. The Commanders' pass-rush has been among the team's biggest surprises this season. Fans were highly concerned about the lack of genuine quality or depth. Still, they've silenced their doubters and a whole lot more over the opening five weeks, generating pressure consistently and being among the most prolific teams against the run for good measure. Upsetting the current dynamic doesn't seem right now. At the same time, Peters is continually seeking ways to improve. He obviously saw something in Jackson during the Niners' pre-draft evaluations, but he'd have to be in supreme shape to make an impact. That might be the case, but it's not guaranteed. The Ravens might be in a better position to offer Jackson a roster spot. They recently traded Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers, so there could be an opening if everything goes well during that meeting. Washington is willing to adopt a wait-and-see approach, and Peters will have other options in mind if he's not entirely convinced. For fans, it's a waiting game. But they can relax, safe in the knowledge that those currently around are having the desired impact right now.

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!