The Florida Panthers emerged victorious on Saturday, shutting out the Colorado Avalanche. And with this latest win, head coach Paul Maurice has etched his name in the history books. The Panthers bench boss is now fifth all-time in wins in the NHL, earning his 850th victory on Saturday.

Florida rode the performance of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky against the Avalanche. The Florida shot-stopper saved all 35 shots against him to help his team win. Florida captain Aleksander Barkov recorded a goal and two assists, with Carter Verhaeghe adding a goal of his own to the effort.

Maurice is second in coaching wins among active bench bosses. New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff is ahead of him with 859 wins in his career. Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz is third all-time in coaching wins with 914. Ahead of him are former Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville and former Detroit Red Wings bench boss Scotty Bowman.

Panthers' Paul Maurice has a wealth of NHL experience

Maurice began his coaching career in 1987 when he took an assistant job with the Windsor Spitfires. His NHL career began in 1995, when he joined the Hartford Whalers. He initially started out as an assistant but became the second youngest head coach in the league after being promoted 12 games into the 1995-96 season.

He coached two seasons with the Whalers before the franchise relocated and became the Carolina Hurricanes. His first stint in Carolina saw Maurice lead the team to three playoff appearances. One of which was an appearance in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final against the Red Wings.

In 2003-04, he was fired after 30 games. He didn't return to an NHL bench until 2006 when he took over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Maurice didn't last long there, though, and he returned to the Hurricanes in 2008. That second stint in Carolina saw one playoff berth and lasted four seasons.

Maurice began finding a bit more success in recent times. He took over the Winnipeg Jets in 2013, leading them to five playoff appearances in eight full seasons. The Jets made the 2018 Western Conference Finals, losing to the expansion season Vegas Golden Knights squad.

He resigned from the Jets during the 2021-22 season, believing the Jets needed a new voice. In 2022, he took over the Panthers and led a magical run in 2023. Florida snuck into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring. And the team went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Their run included their defeat of the 65-win Boston Bruins.

Paul Maurice has seen a lot during his time in the NHL. And now he has entered elite territory in league history books. It'll certainly be interesting to see how far Maurice can go, and whether the Panthers can bring the veteran bench boss his first Stanley Cup ring.