Oilers coach Knoblauch ignored request from Paul Maurice after Stanley Cup Final, per insider
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Panthers coach Paul Maurice stirred up controversy earlier this playoffs for skipping the handshake line, but Oilers coach Knoblauch didn't allow it to happen in the Cup Final.
After the Panthers eliminated the Hurricanes, Maurice and Rod Brind'Amour had a heated discussion at center ice, then both left. Maurice said that he personally likes to skip the handshake line, which was a blatant lie - and Brind'Amour didn't appreciate it.
Oilers coach ignored Maurice's request to skip handshake line in Cup Final
According to Adam Wylde on the Steve Dangle Podcast, a source revealed Knoblauch saw a signal to skip the line, and the Oilers coach entirely ignored it.
I can confirm through somebody else, and I won't say who, that there was a discussion had about the coaches in the handshake line, and that Paul Maurice did signal to Kris Knoblauch to not go into the handshake line with the players.
Kris Knoblauch completely ignored him and went in, and so therefore, Paul Maurice went into the handshake line.
- Adam Wylde
Kris Knoblauch completely ignored him and went in, and so therefore, Paul Maurice went into the handshake line.
- Adam Wylde
Instead of mouthing off to Maurice, or leaving without shaking hands, Knoblauch picked the best route to ignore Maurice's bizarre bit and just get in the line.
Handshakes at the end of a series is one of the best traditions in all of sports, and a pure display of sportsmanship after a hard fought battle. The coaches are intensely involved in that even if they're not on the ice.
It's ironic that the Florida Panthers, a team with a league-wide reputation for being dirty, has a coach running a campaign against a display of sportsmanship.
Paul Maurice is a very effective coach - but he would probably say that he's the smartest coach that will ever touch the face of the earth. His ego is getting as big as his fake glasses.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 19 | 1247 ANSWERS Oilers coach Knoblauch ignored request from Paul Maurice after Stanley Cup Final, per insider Do you think Knoblauch was right to ignore Maurice and shake hands? | ||
| Of course | 1050 | 84.2 % |
| No, I agree with Maurice | 197 | 15.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
