New Blackhawks F Maroon, 36, keeping focus on this season
Published
New Chicago Blackhawks forward Pat Maroon isn't ready to commit on how many years he has left in the NHL.
The 36-year-old winger signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Blackhawks as a free agent last month for what could be his final NHL season.
“I’m actually just going to focus on this year, see what happens and go from there,” Maroon told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times.
The veteran has gotten used to wearing new jerseys after playing for three different teams over the past two seasons. Maroon signed the Minnesota Wild last summer after four years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but was traded to the Boston Bruins ahead of the trade deadline.
“Obviously, as you get older, sometimes you get moved around a lot,” Maroon said. “I knew, going into free agency, it might be another new team but also an opportunity to continue my career.”
The three-time Stanley Cup champion posted four goals and 16 points in 49 games with the Wild last season before undergoing back surgery. While recovering, he was traded to the Bruins and appeared in two regular-season games before playing in 13 games during the playoffs, contributing two assists.
Entering his 14th NHL season, Maroon explained to Pope that he has adjusted his off-season training to try to avoid aggravating his back injury, but the true test will come once the season begins.
“Backs are tricky; you never know,” Maroon said. “Right now, it’s healthy, so we’ve got to continue to knock on wood. Back surgery is not something you want to go through, especially as an athlete, because it’s hard to come back from.
"The way I play, it’s a heavy game — it’s hitting and other things that don’t help your back out. But I feel healthy and ready to rock.”
Maroon has 121 goals and 304 points over 780 career games with the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Lightning, Wild and Bruins.