Playing Career
Maurice was the Philadelphia Flyers' 12th choice, 252nd overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, five spots after former Maple Leafs Vice-President and General Manager John Ferguson, Jr. was taken by the Montreal Canadiens.
In 1985, Paul played defense for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. He was struck in the eye by a puck, which had ricocheted off his stick, during a charity hockey game in which he was participating. He still has a blind spot and suffers fuzziness on the right side of his field of vision. When goalie Pat Jablonski was sent down by the St. Louis Blues, the Windsor Spitfires were therefore in excess number of players. At this point he was given the option by team owner Peter Karmanos to be traded or step behind the bench. He thus began his coaching career with the Detroit Junior Red Wings (a team Karmanos operated) of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1993 to 1995, leading the team to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a second place finish in Memorial Cup in 1995.
Read more about this topic: Paul Maurice
Famous quotes containing the words playing and/or career:
“Tony Abbott: I didn’t know you played a saxophone.
Joe Pendleton: Yeah, well, a lot of people don’t know it. Even after they see me playing it they don’t know it.”
—Seton I. Miller (1902–1974)
“In time your relatives will come to accept the idea that a career is as important to you as your family. Of course, in time the polar ice cap will melt.”
—Barbara Dale (b. 1940)