Maroon plays in the last NHL game as Blackhawks jets for the home finals

Chicago – Pat Maroon played his first and last NHL game in the United Center.

In between it was quite a journey.

Maroon closed his 14th and last season when the Chicago Blackhawks organized the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday evening. While Chicago still has two street games, Maroon ran in front of a group of family and friends in the home final before he started retirement.

“Every career ends,” said Maroon. “It doesn’t take forever. I have had this kind of kind of a bit soaked. I am happy (with) where I am in my career where I ended.”

Defender Alec Martinez also stated in a TV interview before the game that it was also his last game. He joined Maroon in the starting line -up.

“Today many different emotions, but only very grateful, very grateful for many people,” said Martinez in Chicago Sports Network, “My family, many people who helped me on the way in this game.”

Maroon, a native of St. Louis who turned 37 on April 23, signed a one-year contract of $ 1.3 million with Chicago in the Free Agency last summer. The robust striker announced last month that he wanted to retire after this season, but he waited until Saturday that the home final would be his last game.

“He was great. Such a pleasant person in which I am nearby,” said Blackhawk’s Forward Connor Bedard. “Obviously, his experiences in the league … He can teach us a lot of things. But I think only the laugh he brings with whom he brings into the room, he is only a guy that everyone wants to be around.”

The Blackhawks recognized chestnut brown with a highlight video during a break over the first period. The crowd reacted with standing ovation, and an emotional chestnut brown waved and patted his heart in appreciation.

Maroon was selected by Philadelphia in the sixth round of the 2007 draft. He was traded in 2010 and celebrated his NHL debut on October 25, 2011 at the Ducks Shootout shooting in Chicago.

Maroon helped his hometown blues for the first time in 2019 in franchise history. He also won two championships with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2001.

He became the fourth player in the history of the NHL and since 1964, who won the trophy with two teams for three years in a row. He joined the jets with 126 goals and 197 templates in 847 games in the regular season, which also played for Edmonton, New Jersey, Minnesota and Boston.

“I was lucky enough to do what I love for a living for a long time,” said Maroon. “When I look back on my career, if all of this is done, I will look back on the bad times that I went through in Philly, where it took me to where I am today.”

Maroon left the opportunity to work down the street in hockey, but he was not yet ready to think about it.

“From now on my focus is on the family,” he said. “The woman now every day. So we will concentrate on concentrating to return to Tampa, to have settled in and digest everything and what our next step is.”

The 37-year-old Martinez is another three-time Stanley Cup winner who came in the Free Agency on July 1st in Chicago. He had 88 goals and 201 assists in 861 games of the regular season that went to the Matchup with Winnipeg and also played for Los Angeles and Vegas.

Martinez had one of the greatest moments of his career against the Blackhawks. He achieved in extra time when Los Angeles Chicago eliminated Western Conference Finales with a 5: 4 victory in game 7 of the Epic 2014.