The Boston Bruins acquired Pat Maroon from the Minnesota Wild at the NHL Trade Deadline for a few reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason was his experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has three Stanley Cups to his name, one of which came against Boston in 2019. But another reason was for his grit. And it's the grit, or perceived lack thereof, against the Florida Panthers that have people talking.
Maroon has come under fire from local media and fans over the last few days. The criticism stems from the veteran forward not fighting Panthers forward Sam Bennett in Game 4. Bennett scored a rather controversial goal in that game. And he delivered a controversial hit in Game 3 that left captain Brad Marchand injured.
On Monday, Maroon responded to the criticisms. “It’s frustrating that you guys are trying to do a narrative right now for f*****g nothing, to be honest. We gotta win a f*****g hockey game,” Maroon said, via Boston Hockey Now. “That’s what it comes down to. Unfortunately, what happened happened; we gotta turn the page. We gotta find a way.”
Avoiding a bad position
Pat Maroon mentioned that he has tried to engage the Panthers on the ice. But it takes two to tango, and the Bruins veteran has not found a willing dance partner. He also acknowledged the calculated risk involved in these situations. The last thing Maroon wants to do is put his team in a rough spot.
“You can sit here to say I’m not doing my job. Maybe, maybe I’m not. But like I said before, I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t. And I don’t want to put my team in jeopardy. I don’t want to take a suspension. I don’t want to put my team on a penalty kill. I’m doing everything I can,” the Bruins forward said, via Boston Hockey Now.
To be fair, we have seen retaliatory actions cost teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo took a shot at Dallas Stars veteran Tyler Seguin in the first round. The Stars scored on the ensuing power play, winning Game 5. They went on to defeat the Golden Knights and move on to round two.
Boston cannot afford to make a similar mistake. If Maroon takes a penalty, a power play goal could lead to the end of their season. As Maroon points out, the most important thing now is winning hockey games. If an opportunity to respond to Sam Bennett and the Panthers comes along, they can cross that bridge when it comes.
Pat Maroon has love for Bruins teammates
One throughline from Maroon's comments is the love he has for his teammates. He mentioned that he has talked to Marchand and his teammates about his situation. But, as he's mentioned, it isn't as straightforward as simply dropping the gloves and throwing hands.
“I love the guys,” Maroon said, via Boston Hockey Now. “I think, trust me, it’s a tough business, and everyone’s looking at me to do something. And, unfortunately, I try. I am trying, and we can’t really focus on that. It’s over. It’s done with. We gotta focus on winning a hockey game, though.”
Maroon and the Bruins will try and survive in Game 5 against the Panthers. However, Florida has home-ice advantage for this crucial contest. These teams hit the ice again on Tuesday night in Sunrise with puck drop currently scheduled for 7 PM Eastern Time.
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