Paul Maurice attached to Team Finland after players questioned their leadership

Tension is reportedly simmering behind the scenes at Team Finland – or at least it was.

According to Fins sales point Helsingin SanomatSeveral Finnish NHL players lost confidence in head coach Antti Pennanen after disappointing performances during the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off and the World Championship. The report adds that several players have quietly pushed for Paul Maurice – currently the head coach of the Florida Panthers – to take over the bench ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

Maurice, who has led Florida to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in recent seasons, has strong ties with several Finnish stars. Panthers players such as Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola and injured captain Aleksander Barkov are all important players for Finland internationally. Reports indicate that these players discussed bringing Maurice into the team this summer, either as a replacement for Pennanen or as an addition to the Olympic coaching staff.

Maurice is known as one of the most successful NHL coaches of the past five years, but is not actively working with any of the other Olympic teams.

Interestingly enough, Maurice was reportedly open to the idea. However, no formal offer was ever made. Finland’s general manager, Jere Lehtinen, is said to be aware of the players’ interest, but the Finnish Ice Hockey Association did not progress further with the discussions.

Pennanen remains in charge, with a contract that runs at least until spring 2027. Although international hockey rules had allowed Maurice – who is not Finn – to coach the team, the federation ultimately stayed the course. For those who don’t know, Olympic hockey coaches are not limited by nationality.

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