Pat Maroon announced he will be retiring once the 2024-25 NHL season concludes. His announcement brought all sorts of emotions to the Chicago Blackhawks as a key veteran steps away from the locker room. After the big 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Maroon voiced a firm message for Connor Bedard and the young players on the team.
The Blackhawks snapped a seven-game losing streak with a commanding victory at United Center against the Flyers, who are also in a slump, carrying the weight of five consecutive losses with a 0-4-1 record during that stretch.
Maroon recorded a goal and an assist during the matchup, while Bedard found the back of the net, as well. It was a much needed triumph for the Blackhawks, who had grown more and more despondent during their losing slump which officially and mathematically eliminated them from contention.
Chicago is now playing solely for lottery implications, with little to no motivation as they gear up for their final 11 games of the NHL season. However, Maroon is playing for his legacy, as he embarks on the final matchups of his career, and he wants to walk away from the league on a high note. Following the victory against Philadelphia, Maroon voiced a clear message for Bedard and the rest of the team.
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center on March 03, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
âObviously, itâs not the year we want, but we can try to build something here in the last 11 games,â Maroon told his teammates after the game, as shown in a video posted by the Blackhawksâ social media profile. âBuild a culture of winning hockey, winning ways especially for you young guys. You guys have so much talent, a lot of years ahead of you to do something.â
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Reality kicks in
As the schedule ahead gets thinner for the Blackhawks, Maroon realizes the final grains of sand are dropping in his careerâs clock, generating much anxiety and mixed emotions for the 36-year-old veteran, who hoisted the Stanley Cup in three opportunities and consecutively: in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
Itâs starting to hit Maroonâthe cold reality. The forward realizes that many things he once took for granted are soon to become a thing of the past. As he savored the perks of the big win over the Flyers, Maroon shared an emotional statement on what heâll miss most about playing in the NHL.
Pat Maroon of the Blackhawks
âOne thing Iâm going to miss is the camaraderie with the guys, the banter in the room and the grind with the guys, the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the process of doing all that stuff with everyone,â Maroon admitted.
