The Florida Panthers are in their first Stanley Cup final since 1996 and head coach Paul Maurice and defenceman Aaron Ekblad have close connections to Windsor, Ont.
Maurice started coaching junior hockey earlier than most, becoming an assistant at the tail end of his OHL career with the Windsor Spitfires.
His Windsor billet, Charlie McGregor, says he saw leadership qualities in Maurice right away as a player — as teammates gravitated to him and their home on off days and weekends.
“And I’m talking about players that had been there for a couple of years before Paul came. Keith Gretzky being one,” he said.
McGregor
