After the recent firing of Dean Evason and the hiring of John Hynes, the Minnesota Wild have finally won some games. They’re even starting to get production from some struggling players like Matt Boldy and Frédérick Gaudreau, and even goaltender Filip Gustavsson is starting to shine. Several players have kept up their consistency, like Joel Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi, and Mats Zuccarello, but there’s one player on this list who’s been playing consistently without getting as much attention.
That player is Pat Maroon, who was added during the offseason in hopes he would fill some of the physical and vocal void left by Matt Dumba. While it wasn’t evident at first, in the last few weeks, Maroon has really shown how valuable he is to the lineup. This article will examine several specific ways Maroon has contributed to the roster.
Maroon’s Hockey IQ & Physicality
After watching Maroon play a little closer the last few games, it’s become obvious how much hockey sense he has. He’s always playing with his head up, and he pays attention to his surroundings. He knows when to pass or hold on to the puck long enough for a teammate to get open and takes his time when needed.
He mixes that hockey IQ with his ability to throw around his body, although the hits have dropped a bit this season compared to previous years. As he ages, he may be timing his hits better to not wear out his body as much. He seems to focus more on puck handling than hit throwing, which has helped his team out.
Typically, players who are known for their physicality also have tempers that are rather short, but Maroon seems composed despite a higher number of penalties. He could use it to take fewer minor penalties, but so could the whole team. If he starts to spend less time in the penalty box, hopefully, his teammates will follow suit unless it’s necessary.
Maroon’s Mood Builder
When it was announced the Wild were bringing Maroon onto the roster, it was in hopes he’d fill some of the leadership void left by Dumba. Not necessarily in a captain-type role but more so of a locker room voice. Someone to provide a spark or experience during tough times or even good times to keep things going. They seem to have a lot of different voices in that room, from Marcus Foligno to Jared Spurgeon, but Maroon brings experience not many have.
He’s won three Stanley Cups and the high number of things he learned through those wins he can bring to the Wild. Even at the beginning of the season, when things were at their lowest, he could provide a voice of reason after being through several slumps with different teams throughout his career.
While there may be things the team doesn’t want to hear, they need someone who will tell them like it is, but that can also provide hope for a team. When there’s a slump, it eventually has to get better, and thankfully, for the Wild, it has gotten better, and Maroon has been a big part of that.
Maroon’s Grinding Play & Smooth Hands
The final part of his game, and probably the most surprising part, has been his great hands. When he gets the chance, he’s quite the puck mover and also quite speedy with his skating. His game is full of surprises; somehow, he always dazzles when he finds open ice and has the puck.
Besides his quick hands, he’s also quite the grinder and fits in well with the team. The Wild haven’t really had a solid style this season until recently, when they’ve been showing how good at grinding away they are. I heard it recently on the podcast “Worst Seats in the House” by Anthony Lapanta and Michael Russo, who writes for The Athletic. They talked about how the Wild have found their identity as a grinding team.
They didn’t mention Maroon by name, but watching how he plays, he fits right in. They force their way through puck battles and usually come out on the winning end of things, and Maroon is one of those players.
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He doesn’t play a lot of minutes due to spending most of his time on the bottom six, but he’s also talented enough to appear on the second line once in a while. One final item that has been a pleasant surprise outside of his puck handling is his ability to adapt to whatever line he’s put on. He’s bounced from the second line to the fourth line and has made it work without being detrimental to the roster.
Wild Need Maroon
Things are far from over in the difficult department for the Wild, and they’ll need all the help they can get, including from Maroon. If they want to continue to succeed and possibly make a push for playoffs, they’ll need his quick hands to find a way to score some goals and avoid the penalty box unless necessary.
If he can tighten that area of his game a bit, some of his teammates may follow suit, and they’ll be stronger for it. Hopefully, Maroon can continue to affect the team positively and provide his valuable advice and expertise on all matters, from winning to losing. The more they know, the better they can improve their game to win more.