A Chicago Blackhawks forward is set to walk away from the game after a 14-year journey.
Jul 7, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) hoists the Stanley Cup after the Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game five to win the 2021 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Chicago Blackhawks forward Pat Maroon is calling it a career after 14 NHL seasons, and what a career it has been.
Of course, Maroon, 36, has never exactly been a star. He’s been a bottom-six grinder throughout the vast majority of his career, known for his grit and ability to get under opponents’ skin. However, his career is unlike almost any other in NHL history.
Maroon entered the league as a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2007 NHL Draft, but he would never end up playing for them. Instead, his NHL debut came in October of 2011 with the Anaheim Ducks, almost five years later and with a completely different team. It would then take two more years for him to become a regular.
While it took a while for him to break through, Maroon would eventually go on to play 839 NHL games, which should be 851 games if he suits up for every Blackhawks contest left this season. He’s racked up 320 points (125 goals, 195 assists), 1,583 hits and 1,071 penalty minutes.
Maroon is arguably best known for his playoff track record, however. He appeared in 163 postseason games, and most importantly, won three-straight Stanley Cups from 2019-21, becoming the first player to achieve such a feat since the New York Islanders’ dynasty in the early 1980s.
The first of those Stanley Cup victories came with the St. Louis Blues, his hometown team. He also came up big during that run, scoring the series-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 against the Dallas Stars. Though that was his only year in St. Louis, the Oakville, Mo. native cemented his place in Blues history with that goal, and the team honored him as such on Saturday.
Pat Maroon always represented the Lou with pride and helped bring a Cup to our town.
Thank you for everything, Big Rig. pic.twitter.com/DAu8Buhqi8
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 22, 2025
“To get to have a special moment tonight and be in St. Louis, to have my family come to town … I won a Stanley Cup here and I’m just going to finish this year as every game is going to be my last game,” Maroon said after Saturday’s game against the Blues, per NHL.com. “I’m going to play as hard as I can and do everything I can to keep winning hockey (games). It’s all I know … it’s tough.”
Maroon’s following two Stanley Cups came with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and though he didn’t have any career-defining moments on those runs, he was still a key player who dressed in almost every game. At the very least, he delivered some incredible celebrations at their parades.
Pat Maroon leads @TBLightning fans in lighting up @rjstadium! 🕯️🕯️🕯️
Watch the #STANLEYCUP CHAMPIONS Celebration 🔛 📺 FOX Sports Sun | 📲 https://t.co/igtITv9BWE#GoBolts #NHL ⛴️ pic.twitter.com/kdutaKECYb
— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) October 1, 2020
Understandably, Maroon has a lot of emotions as he prepares to walk away from the game he loves, but nobody can take away what he accomplished throughout his career.
“It’s tough. Sometimes you’ve got to give up everything you know and everything you’ve dreamed of your whole life,” Maroon said. “I just know it’s time for me and it’s time for my family to go start a new chapter in our lives.”
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