Pat Maroon Has Made A Big Impact on Blackhawks

Most NHL fans know the story of Pat Maroon, a primarily fourth-line grinder who worked his way to three straight Stanley Cups and eventually found his way to the Chicago Blackhawks. He has always been a fan favorite amongst his teammates and a veteran presence, and that is precisely why general manager Kyle Davidson signed him to a one-year contract in July and why head coach Luke Richardson was ecstatic to add him, mentioning, “It’s hard to find those guys.”

Pat Maroon’s Blackhawks Role

When hockey fans think of Maroon, they usually think of an enforcer-type or a “sheriff,” as Richardson referred to him. Maroon is no stranger to that role and excels in it, but he felt he could bring more to the Blackhawks. He told Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune on Oct. 28, “Connor [Bedard] is Connor. Whatever happens, I’ll be there. I’m not here to navigate Connor and protect him. I’m here to play my game and help in the room, and if I need to fight, I fight.”

So far, he has gotten in some scraps, like against Nashville Predators’ forward Michael McCarron on Oct. 25, but as of late, he truly has been one of the best forwards on the Blackhawks.

Maroon’s Early Success With Blackhawks

Maroon has been relishing in his fourth-line role alongside Lukas Reichel and Craig Smith. In the last three games, he has been a plus-2 with two points and is third on the team in hits (19), and has three points in nine games. I noticed against the Colorado Avalanche that he was one of the standout forwards on the ice, giving the Avalanche fits skating well in the offensive zone with a solid scoring chance, a hit, three shots, and was a plus-1, in the 5-2 win.

There is also something to say about how he has set up scoring chances. One was a long pass for Connor Bedard’s goal against the Dallas Stars: