Paul Maurice (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Paul Maurice is one of the NHL’s most respected head coaches, currently leading the Florida Panthers. With the team, he has captured two Stanley Cups and recently joined an exclusive club in NHL history – becoming just the third head coach ever to reach 1,000 career wins, including playoffs.
Maurice is not only one of the most successful modern coaches but also one of the most compelling speakers in the league – his press conferences always draw attention. Has success changed him?
“Yes and no,” says well-known conditioning coach Dr. Craig Slaunwhite, who worked with Maurice in Winnipeg, in an interview with RG. “He’s still the same person at his core. I think he’s a little more relaxed now. He’s always been really funny – great sense of humor – but in public, he used to come across as very serious. Now, he’s letting people see more of his funny side. I’m glad more people get to see that now too. We talk all the time and stay in close contact – he’s a good friend.”
Dr. Craig Slaunwhite has over 16 years of experience in lead strength and conditioning roles across the NHL and NBA. From 2014 to 2019, he worked with the Winnipeg Jets, where he first met Maurice. A former track and field athlete, Slaunwhite represented Team Canada and medaled in the decathlon – but Maurice introduced him to another sport entirely.
“He introduced me to jiu-jitsu – because he was doing it himself, kind of secretly. He didn’t want many people to know. At the time, Paul and I had a great relationship. Every morning, we’d start our day in his office, talking about the team – how players were feeling, who needed more support. Then our conversations would often drift into philosophy or just life in general.
One day, he told me he’d started doing jiu-jitsu and thought I might enjoy it too. I said, ‘Sure,’ mostly because it was Paul Maurice – if he recommends something, you listen. And I ended up loving it. It’s fun, demanding, and very cerebral.”
Books, Philosophy, And Leadership
Maurice also inspired Slaunwhite’s interest in reading and philosophy.
“He recommended The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday. It’s about how, in life – just like in sport – you’ll always face obstacles. But how you respond to them defines your success.
When he suggested it, I didn’t even enjoy reading. I’d read so much in school that I associated books with homework. But again, it was Paul Maurice – if he tells me to read something, I do it. And it completely changed my mindset.
Before, I saw problems as negatives that drained my energy. After reading that book, I began seeing them as challenges – opportunities to grow and think differently.”
From Byfuglien’s Power to Roslovic’s Endurance
Dr. Slaunwhite holds a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University. He spent five seasons with the Jets and another five with the Panthers.
Among his favorite memories from Winnipeg are two remarkable athletes:
“The first is Dustin Byfuglien. He’s a very unique person in terms of genetics – just massive. And to be honest, he doesn’t love the gym, but he’s unbelievably strong. Like, not normal human strong. You can find clips of him on YouTube fighting two guys at once or holding two players back with one hand. Just freakishly strong. And a great person – always laughing, really fun to be around.
The second is Jack Roslovic – he’s got the best conditioning I’ve ever seen. In Winnipeg, we did a conditioning test on the ice – kind of like a beep test. We had some incredibly fit guys – Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, Toby Enstrom – all among the fittest players in the NHL.
Most of them would finish around the same time, completely exhausted. And then Jack Roslovic would just keep going. Down the ice and back. Down and back. Over and over. It was incredible. That’s one time I’d single out a player and say, ‘Wow, that was really impressive.’”
A Voice Against the End of Fitness Testing
Interestingly, under the new NHL CBA, teams are no longer allowed to conduct formal fitness testing before or during the season – a change Slaunwhite strongly disagrees with.
“I think it’s kind of crazy they canceled testing. Players often see it as something hard and pointless, but real testing helps them understand their strengths and areas to improve. It’s part of being a pro athlete. The bad reputation of testing partly comes from us coaches – we haven’t always done a good job explaining its value. Without testing, I have no data to build the right program. I don’t know how fit a player is or where to focus. So I might end up giving them more work than they need.
I just hope it doesn’t backfire – that players don’t end up doing extra work for no reason. If we, as coaches, do a better job explaining the purpose, players will be much more open to it.”
New Chapter in Shanghai
This summer, Dr. Slaunwhite joined the new KHL franchise Shanghai Dragons, returning to the league where he previously spent two seasons with SKA St. Petersburg. His most recent NHL role was with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023–24, where he worked with forward Kirill Marchenko – who later recommended him to the Dragons.
“When we first met in SKA, I noticed right away that he was different. Very driven. He had a specific goal – maybe a little crazy – but he always said, ‘I’m going to the NHL.’
A lot of players say that, but not everyone does the work to make it happen. Kirill did. He was consistent, always looking for ways to improve – every day, every season.
He’d ask, ‘What do I need to do to get better? How can I prepare for the NHL?’ He worked on everything – even his English, because he wanted to be ready off the ice too. I helped him with English, he helped me with Russian. It was perfect.”