Every hockey team has a physical player that enjoys getting under the skin of the opponent, but when that player meets their match, it can be a whole different experience.
Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Pat Maroon is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and has a reputation around the league to be someone who can get under your skin. Maroon was asked who he hates in the NHL during his appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday.
"I think a lot of people hate me," Maroon said. "I guess hate's a strong word. There's not a lot of guys. (Brad) Marchand drives me (expletive) nuts."
"He's licking faces," McAfee replied. "Isn't there a line in that whole thing, or is it just if you're a pest, you're a pest. It's just good for your team."
"He's good at it," Maroon added. "He's the best at it in the game, and I give him credit. And he's one of the best players in the league too doing it. He drives me a bit off the wall, but it's my job. You kind of go around be a pest, chirp guys, just be an exhaustion because it is exhausting when you got someone chirping your bench the whole game or you're in someone's ear the whole game, it's exhaustion.
"It's actually annoying as hell. But I don't really hate anyone. Me and (Marchand) go at it a lot. We have a love-hate relationship. There's a couple of other guys, but when push comes to shove, I'm just a hated guy, I feel like, by fans too, fans from different teams."
Maroon's opinion is not uncommon in the league. Marchand won a love-hate NHLPA poll in which players were asked, "Which player do you least enjoy playing against, but would like to have on your team?"
The Bruins left winger is a beloved player to Boston fans, but it's clear, from McAfee's reference to "licking faces," Marchand's reputation will stick with him, for better or for worse.
