Per reports, Maroon will end his NHL career at the United Center in the Blackhawks final home game of the season against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. The 36-year-old was brought in as a free agent over the summer to serve as a mentor for all of the young players on the roster, and he has already become a favorite to all in Chicago.
Maroon is known for his physical-style of play on the ice and that he will stand up for any of his teammates regardless of the situation. Earlier this week, he was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This nomination came from the Blackhawks chapter of the PHWA, and the award is given every year to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Saturday will mark the 848th game in Maroon’s NHL career and it will be his last.
Pat was skating with a mornig group I ran several summers ago when he was still with Edmonton. This may have been a year before he went FA (2017?) and was talking about being quite unsure if he would get another contract or not.
Fast forward and he then gets a one year deal with the Blues ... and parlays that into 3 Rings and several more years in the N.
Always heard he was not only the presence you needed in front of the net, but also the locker room. His departure didn't mean much on the books, but it was felt. Tampa saw the value.
bud white wrote: ↑11 Apr 2025 15:59 pm
It's really funny how these things can work out.
Pat was skating with a mornig group I ran several summers ago when he was still with Edmonton. This may have been a year before he went FA (2017?) and was talking about being quite unsure if he would get another contract or not.
Fast forward and he then gets a one year deal with the Blues ... and parlays that into 3 Rings and several more years in the N.
Congrats, Pat.
One of the few, clear Armstrong mistakes thinking he was easily replaced.
One of the few, clear Armstrong mistakes thinking he was easily replaced.
Yes - I've always wondered if there was more to the story than that. It never made sense at the time not to re-sign him...I think he signed for $900k with Tampa? It didn't make sense than and still doesn't.
One of the few, clear Armstrong mistakes thinking he was easily replaced.
Yes - I've always wondered if there was more to the story than that. It never made sense at the time not to re-sign him...I think he signed for $900k with Tampa? It didn't make sense than and still doesn't.
Armstrong signed Thronton instead...?
A lot of Hawk fans love Patty - dude still has hands and is all class.
One of the few, clear Armstrong mistakes thinking he was easily replaced.
Yes - I've always wondered if there was more to the story than that. It never made sense at the time not to re-sign him...I think he signed for $900k with Tampa? It didn't make sense than and still doesn't.
I thought Maroon's departure was a case where Armstrong needed to make space for young guys. I base that on the media influence that I absorbed.
As it turns out the price to keep Maroon and the outcome of his post Blues endeavors tells me it was a mistake to let him go. People talk about the stick that stirs the drink...Maroon's stick has stirred the Cup's drink over and over again. He might not have been a top 6 guy towards the end but he was clearly worth keeping. I'm glad he wore the Note and I wish him the best in retirement.
dhsux wrote: ↑12 Apr 2025 07:49 am
I never quite understood not signing him.
Always felt something was weird about how that all went down.
He was let go because we had young guys that needed to play. He signed a 900k one year in Tampa because a) they don’t have the state sales tax so that was worth 1.1-1.3 elsewhere, and b) he was looking for two years from us or elsewhere and it never materialized so he took what he could get.
Pat played with all his heart and was genuinely a good guy. I too said at the time that we should keep him. He still had enough skill to play on that Blues team the following season, and was definitely a fan favorite. His son, shown crying in the stands when he scored was purely PR heaven. I also wish the best for the big guy.
