"I'm here as long as Jets executive chairman Mark Chipman] and [general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff] want me to be here," Maurice said Monday. "This is home for me. I love this place. I'm not looking to go anywhere. It'll be kicking and screaming on the way out, that'll be how that transition happens. So I don't know, it's a little unusual that the speculation is related to a coach that has a job. Usually it's the three or four guys that are out. It's also something that's kind of down the road.
"I've worked with [NHL Seattle GM Ron Francis
, perhaps at the same time it announces the name of the League's 32nd team, president and CEO Tod Leiweke said following his presentation to the NHL Board of Governors on Dec. 9. Whether Maurice will be a part of Seattle's future is unknown, but he reiterated that he's enjoyed his time in Winnipeg, which hired him to replace Claude Noel on Jan. 12, 2014. He's in his 22nd season as an NHL coach. He's one of eight coaches with at least 700 NHL wins (715-76-66, 22 ties) with the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Jets.
The Jets are 20-11-2 entering their game against the Hurricanes at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, TSN3, FS-CR, NHL.TV).
"Whether I have a lifetime contract here or I'm getting paid by the hour here, nothing changes," Maurice said. "This is all about having the right guy at the right time to coach the Winnipeg Jets. That fit's really important. I'm a little unusual in my tenure and my age. I feel I'm very unusual because I found a place that you just love living in, love coaching in, you just want to be a part of, you feel like you're a part of the growth.
"I just can't see that changing. We all know that coaches, it changes for some. I don't feel that we're close to that. I plan on being here for a long time."
