All-Purpose Hockey Thread II

Sam, the other thing about Maurice is that he's so damn media friendly. He's a straight shooter, he's funny and doesn't hide. I mean, John Ferguson is a friggin' muppet and Maurice's predecessor, although apparently great one on one, came across as a condescending prick in media scrums.

(One of the newspaper guys said that every time he looks at Maurice, he thinks a Power Point presentation is about to break out)

 

Fleury had started every game this season. Just time to give him a breather.

 

I agree about Mo being very good with the media. Early in the season that he was fired, he conducted a "clinic" in the Canes dressing room for any media members who wanted to attend in which he tried to teach us more about the game. I thought I knew a lot about hockey until that session and learned a lot. How many other coaches would do that?

When he was on the "hot seat" he fascinated me with his comments that he thrives on the pressure, knowing that he may be the coach at the beginning of a road trip but not by the end of it. Sometimes I wondered if he was genuine with those comments, but I think he was. If he does thrive on the pressure, that will probably help him in Toronto.

 

If you've been in enough post-game pressers with Mo, someone will mock his near-mumble to test the mic before he rolls in. He doesn't yell, scream or rant, even when pissed and almost always keeps a sense of humor. As you noted, he also doesn't run from questions.

The best story about Mo? A few years back, the Canes had a couple of goals waved off against Philly in a one-goal loss. His response post-game was "it seems like we're getting used to at least one good f_cking per week" ... on hot mics, etc.

He looked up and said "Damn. Now I'll have to return that ring I just bought my wife." The league didn't fine him. And while I never heard about the impromptu clinic that ondeadline's talking about, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. The entire Hurricanes organization has been - and continues to be - very patient and very willing to teach the game to anyone who cares to learn. It's hard not to like a bunch with that attitude and mindset.

And yes ... he thrives on the pressure. It was pretty easy to see during the playoff drives, and came to the forefront during the run to the finals in '02. It's part of why I think he'll do well in Toronto.

 

Just to clarify. The clinic was set up on an off day in the early afternoon for the media, I believe it was in late October. It wasn't after a game or impromptu. He played tapes at times to demonstrate different hockey concepts and took questions. The whole thing was off the record and good stuff.

 

Understood. I imagine Mo off the record can be a scream ... and very, very informative in an informal clinic setting. And he did this on an off day? Wow ... usually anyone who has to deal with the media wants nothing to do with us during down time.

Then again, the Triangle media is a smidge different from Toronto for hockey ... or New York under any circumstance.

 

There was a Tucker incident recently--he beat the crap out of a non combative Ottawa player. Bryan Murray, the Ottawa coach made some remark to the affect that Tucker was gutless, blah, blah blah.

When someone mentioned that to Maurice in the post game press conference, Maurice stared out and said, "He said that? From behind the bench?" Cracked me up.

And I remember his "fucking" comment.

 

It's 24/7 365 around here.

Hell, at the beginning of the season we had a week long soap opera about who was going to be the damn back-up goalie.

 

In stark contrast, the Triangle media doesn't have to beat the Hurricanes over the heads of the casual fans, the noise that Raleigh can't and won't support a team is finally dying. All it took was winning a Stanley Cup.

 

After noticing the video cameras post-game once (maybe they didn't have those then in Carolina), he was kind enough to spit out his tobacco. Gross.

 

I don't recall his doing post-game presser with chaw. Funny, since seemingly everyone else does in this area.

 

So, Sam, what are attendance figures like? They getting near capacity crowds? 85%?