Nov 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Pat Maroon (77) warms up against the Florida Panthers before the game at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Former Stanley Cup Champion Begins Coaching Journey

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jon Alfano | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Patrick Maroon wasn't away from the game for long.

Back in April, Maroon, 37, officially hung up his skates after 14 NHL seasons. On Friday, the Muskegon Lumberjacks, a United States Hockey League team based in Michigan, announced that Maroon would join the coaching staff as an assistant for the 2025-26 season.

"We are excited to add Pat to our coaching staff. As a program, we are always self-evaluating on how we get better. When this opportunity was presented to us, it was hard to turn down." Lumberjacks president Steve Lowe said in a statement. "Adding someone like Pat, who has three Stanley Cup rings, is something that doesn't come along very often. Pat will be a great mentor for our players, coaching staff, and everyone at the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

"We are excited to welcome Pat and can't wait to see his impact on our players and coaches."

Added Maroon: "I'm really looking forward to working with a winning organization and learning from the coaches, players, and management. I'm also really excited to help the players develop and get 1% better to push them to the next level."

Maroon appeared in 848 regular season NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks (2011-2016), Edmonton Oilers (2016-18), New Jersey Devils (2018), St. Louis Blues (2018-19), Tampa Bay Lightning (2019-23), Minnesota Wild (2023-24), Boston Bruins (2024) and Chicago Blackhawks (2024-25). The St. Louis native retired with 126 goals and 323 points, along with 1,590 hits and 1,087 penalty minutes.

However, Maroon, perhaps better known as "The Big Rig," is far more known for his playoff escapades than his regular season performance. The bruising forward won three consecutive Stanley Cups from 2019-21, first with the Blues followed by two with the Lightning.

He nearly won a fourth as well, but the Lightning fell to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Even still, he was the first player to win three-straight Stanley Cups since the New York Islanders' dynasty in the early 1980s.

The Lumberjacks are one of the USHL's newest teams, having only begun play in 2010. They won their first Clark Cup last season, though, defeating the Waterloo Black Hawks in a tight five-game series. So, adding someone who knows all about winning championships seems like a great move to help them build momentum.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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