Edmonton Oilers: A Look at Patrick Maroon’s Success

When the Edmonton Oilers acquired Patrick Maroon, they knew what kind of player they were getting. A bottom-six forward with size to bring toughness and aggression to the team.

Edmonton Oilers

However, since coming to the Oilers, he has defied expectations. In his time with Edmonton, he has 27 goals and 41 points in 72 games. Maroon has become a top-six force known for his ability to score and work well on the top line. And, with 19 goals this season, he is second on the team in tallies, sitting behind Leon Draisaitl (20 goals).

There are a lot of reasons for his success and transition from an enforcer-type player into one of the Oilers’ top goal-scorers. Here is why Maroon is finding so much success.

Big Rig in the Paint

Looking at his play, Maroon scores plenty of his goals in the paint. He plants all 6-foot-3, 230 pounds of himself in front of the net, screening the goaltender and helping with deflections. However, he also gets his stick on rebounds, and can also finish plays and score on nice passes to the front.

The 28-year-old drives to the net and puts a lot of his strength into his stride as he rushes into the offensive zone. This is what helps him score and have plenty of success. Because of his effort, and the weight he lost in the offseason, he can push further and skate faster, which helps him with his crash-the-net mentality.

Change of Scenery

Sometimes, a new team is all it takes to refresh a player. That is evident amongst many players in the league, and Maroon is one of them. He had spurts of confidence in his run with Anaheim, but with the Oilers, Maroon flourished. Todd McLellan utilized him in new areas, and he found chemistry and oozes with confidence night in and night in and night out.

Not to mention, Maroon finally gets to play his rough-and-tumble game, while also using that to his advantage offensively. Because he could showcase what type of player he is, Maroon gathered the ability to go above and beyond his role, and transform himself into a different type of player.