Paul Maurice agrees to 4 yr extension with Winnipeg

[sureLoss]

Sara Orlesky @saraorlesky
That didn't take long! Paul Maurice has agreed to a 4year extension with the #NHLJets

[bubbsy]

good to see. Not sure how great a coach he is, but he has always come across as a nice, likable guy. He had them playing very strong for a lengthy period after he joined.

[Enoch Root]

I think PM is a good coach and all, but I don't get why any team would sign their coach for 4 or 5 years.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Similar to what Enoch said, 4 years for a coach is a long time, especially when you're not in a playoff position. I don't think any coach that is out of the playoffs deserves more than 2 years, and I don't care if you're Scotty Bowman.

[puckluck2]

I think the idea of giving coaches long term deals is it calms them down and lets them coach the way they want to coach instead of getting impatient. I remember hearing someone on fan960 talking about it. They were talking about Tortorella and that was the reason he got such a long term. Kind of makes sense. Why sign a coach for one or two years when he is the guy you chose? A coach can't coach and develop players with a year or two so if he's your guy 4 years is not so bad and it doesn't count against the cap if you want to fire them.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I think the idea of giving coaches long term deals is it calms them down and lets them coach the way they want to coach instead of getting impatient. I remember hearing someone on fan960 talking about it. They were talking about Tortorella and that was the reason he got such a long term. Kind of makes sense. Why sign a coach for one or two years when he is the guy you chose? A coach can't coach and develop players with a year or two so if he's your guy 4 years is not so bad and it doesn't count against the cap if you want to fire them.

That all sounds fine in theory, but the fact of the matter is that, as soon as things aren't going well, the vultures will circle. The length of the contract will offer no defense whatsoever.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

That all sounds fine in theory, but the fact of the matter is that, as soon as things aren't going well, the vultures will circle. The length of the contract will offer no defense whatsoever.

Coaching term is nothing to really worry about. The team can fire the coach at any time without any impact to their business (ie. cap implications). Just cost the owners some money which is not great but not a show stopper.

It is my understanding that many of the longer term coach/GM contracts have a buyout clause in them (apparently this is the case with the Torteralla and Gillis contracts) so the team isn't necessarily even on the book for the full value of the contract should they decide to terminate the coach.

In the end, teams get the perceived benefit of consistency with minimum risk.

[Table 5]

Considering a coach probably gets paid as much as some random 3rd liner (I think most are in that 750-1.5 range, the top guys are probably around 2), but has far more influence on the success of the team, it's no wonder that teams give them more term to make them feel more comfortable. The return on investment is just good business sense.

I would imagine that teams would also have some sort of clause that if the fired coach gets a new job, their old contract is voided.

[YogiBerra]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I think the idea of giving coaches long term deals is it calms them down and lets them coach the way they want to coach instead of getting impatient. I remember hearing someone on fan960 talking about it. They were talking about Tortorella and that was the reason he got such a long term. Kind of makes sense. Why sign a coach for one or two years when he is the guy you chose? A coach can't coach and develop players with a year or two so if he's your guy 4 years is not so bad and it doesn't count against the cap if you want to fire them.

I don't know it's a good idea in theory but for torts situation in particular they made it so they can buy him out for half price. That can not inspire much confidence.

[T@T]

Born to coach

Quite a career so far, gets hurt in his last year of junior, quits playing and immediately becomes an assistant with windsor at age 21, six years later he's in the NHL.

[dash_pinched]

I can't imagine Evander Kane is too happy with this development. Might not be a bad idea for Burkie to get Cheveldayoff on the phone?

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

That all sounds fine in theory, but the fact of the matter is that, as soon as things aren't going well, the vultures will circle. The length of the contract will offer no defense whatsoever.

Yes it does, because the coaches get paid even if they get fired. It happens because it's what is required. A short term contract for a coach means the players will feel like they have too much power to revolt if they don't like him and it won't matter. True that if things go bad, teams will pull the plug, but the coach doesn't have to worry about getting paid and won't feel like they have to bend to the players and feels more like he can try to make it work his way, because even if it doesn't, he'll still get paid.

It's not as black and white as I'm making it out to be because despite still getting paid, I'm sure no coach wants the axe, and ideally they want an extension, but it does give them some financial security so they don't feel like they have to coach for the short term.

[flamesfan1297]

good move by the jets, as far as im concerned