The Vikings’ New Strategy and The Assist from The Panthers’ Coach
If you appreciate dry humor, then you’re likely to find Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice quite funny.
Recently, a clip from one of his press conferences went viral for an odd explanation (one that helps to clarify the Vikings’ new strategy). In the clip, a reporter gets tasked with jumping into a conversation with the coach who is quite nimble in front of a microphone. The explanation about playing tough hockey gets some added clarity with an explanation about … not shotgunning a beer in church.
The Vikings’ New Strategy and Paul Maurice’s Viral Clip
First, consider a bit of background to stand alongside the brief clip.
Yet again, the Panthers are going to compete in the Stanley Cup Finals, doing so for the third-straight year. Last year, Florida won it all and is looking to be the first back-to-back champion in a few years.
Helping them in that pursuit of history is their relentless physicality, an approach that’s known to wear down the other time over the course of a game and, indeed, within a seven-game series. Detractors insist that the Panthers are a dirty team — a criticism that has been true at times — while enthusiasts will simply note that the playoffs call for increased aggression and physicality, an approach that the Panthers have mastered.
Now, what about the hubbub from Paul Maurice? The main takeaway from the hockey coach is that his team knows how to turn the compete on at the right time. Off the ice, the fellas are great people; on the ice, they combine to be mean, nasty, and (at times) dirty.
Maurice clarifies his argument by talking about shotgunning a beer in church. The first question involves asking the reporter if he has ever consumed a beer in this manner (affirmative); the second question asks if he has ever been to church (negative, but he has been to a holy place).
Paul Maurice then delivers the line: “Would you shotgun a beer in church? OK, that doesn’t make you a hypocrite. There’s a context and a place for all things.” The coach then goes on to further clarify: “Sometimes you say a prayer, sometimes you shotgun a beer. That’s kind of like our team.”
How in the world does this apply to the Vikings? Simple: the team is looking to find success in the playoffs — the exact spot where the Florida Panthers shine — which is a process that involves getting meaner and more physical.
Consider, for instance, just some of what Kevin O’Connell had to say about new pickup Will Fries, the starting right guard who is working on a five-year contract just below $88 million: “Getting Will Fries at the right guard spot was huge. Him and Ryan Kelly have played a lot of football together. But Will Fries brings a level of nasty to that group, finish, play style. This guy loves the physicality of football.”
Off the field, the hope is that Mr. Fries is a wonderful person. Be kind and compassionate, funny and charming. On the field? Adopt a different mentality, one that involves walloping the other team (within the rules, of course).
Consider, as well, O’Connell’s description of Fries that makes the RG sound like a grizzly bear: “I think Will Fries, he’s a mauling, kind of finisher-type player. The saying ‘the echo of the whistle,’ I would imagine there are some defensive players that would challenge me that’s it’s beyond the echo of the whistle. But that’s kind of a play style thing.”
Folks, that’s almost precisely what Paul Maurice is getting at. Play tough and physical through “the echo of the whistle” (though in hockey, of course, sometimes there are extracurricular activities after the whistle).
Since the beginning of his head coaching career, Kevin O’Connell could lean on abundant skill. There comes a time, though, when skill alone isn’t enough. A team needs ruggedness and physicality, an ability to complement that core strength — sizzling talent — with another element: a mauling nastiness that intimidates the opposition. In the playoffs, being able to do those two things at the same time — win with skill and with physicality — is of the utmost importance.
For The State of Hockey, simply look at Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers for a great example. The Vikings’ new strategy basically involves mirroring the hockey team from The Sunshine State.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap helped with this piece.
The Vikings’ Ruthless Message to the Roster
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.