The Bruins just significantly increased their chances to win the Stanley Cup -- if we're to believe the trends and history.
The B's first move ahead of the NHL trade deadline was to acquire veteran power forward Pat Maroon from the Minnesota Wild. The Athletic's Michael Russo was the first to report the deal, and the Bruins later made it official. They will send forward Luke Toporowski and a 2026 sixth-round conditional draft pick to Minnesota. The sixth-round conditional draft pick only gets transferred if Maroon plays at least one playoff game with Boston.
It will still be a while before Maroon dons the Black and Gold, though. He underwent back surgery in early February and is still a few weeks away from returning.
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Once he gets on the ice, Maroon is a massive human being, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 234 pounds. He instantly improves the Bruins' size and toughness, as he has a well-deserved reputation as someone who isn't afraid to get his nose dirty no matter the situation.
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He's also a winner. Maroon won three straight Stanley Cups from 2019 (when the Blues beat the Bruins) through 2021, the second and third coming with the Tampa Bay Lightning in their back-to-back run.
It's pretty clear the role Maroon will play. He's averaging just under 13 minutes per night with Minnesota, and he'll probably get even less ice time with Boston. But you look at his career numbers, and you'll see a player who logged 134 penalty minutes in 2021-22 and a league-leading 150 minutes last season.
Featured image via Matt Blewett/USA TODAY Sports Images
