Following the Florida Panthers` victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5, securing the Eastern Conference Final series, neither team`s head coach participated in the traditional post-series handshake line. While Panthers coach Paul Maurice and Hurricanes coach Rod Brind`Amour had a brief on-ice exchange, Maurice later clarified that this absence was a deliberate choice, not a sign of disrespect.
He stated after the game, “It`s a personal belief, and I truly appreciate what he [Brind`Amour] did, because it carried a slight risk. I don`t think coaches should be shaking the players` hands at the end. There`s this long procession of people in suits and tracksuits. We had perhaps 400 individuals on the ice. They are all incredibly important to our organization. But none of them were actually playing in the game.”
The Panthers overcame an early 2-0 deficit in the first period of Game 5, ultimately defeating the Hurricanes 5-3 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. As the players began lining up for the handshakes, Maurice and Brind`Amour met near the benches for a brief but animated discussion, agreeing that the moment should be reserved solely for the competing players.
Maurice elaborated on his reasoning: “For me, visually, there`s something powerful about the camera focusing solely on the men who competed, blocked shots, and fought for each other – it`s the conclusion of one team`s season and the triumph for the other. The last thing a Carolina Hurricanes player deserves is another 50 guys in suits whose identity they don`t know – and that`s not meant negatively. There`s a certain beauty in the camera simply capturing those who played shaking hands. And we ought to respect that.”
Maurice added that he had a similar conversation with then-Toronto coach Craig Berube after their second-round series earlier in May, noting that both Berube and Brind`Amour, having been professional players themselves, readily understood his perspective on the matter.
He reflected on the tradition: “I`m unsure when this practice changed. When I first entered the league, you would never approach the players for handshakes. The only explanation I can think of is some coach wanting camera time, right? Perhaps they wanted to shake Wayne Gretzky`s hand. I don`t know precisely when it evolved, but I don`t believe it`s appropriate… Consider the intensity of the competition on the ice – fierce, battling each other – and yet they engage in that handshake. That`s what makes it special. They aren`t exchanging Christmas cards; the game is rough out there. There`s something truly unique about that moment.”
