Edmonton Oilers: Pat Maroon Didn’t Wanted to Be Traded

A former fan favorite in Edmonton, Pat Maroon, was recently on an episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast where he spoke of his time in Edmonton with former NHLers Paul Bissonette and Ryan Whitney (a former Oiler as well).

Edmonton Oilers: As per Maroon’s M.O., it was a very candid and honest interview. Click the link above if you’d like to hear the complete podcast. Other topics covered include his difficult experience going through free agency and why he switched agents, his time in New Jersey, why he signed in St.Louis and how his son reacted.

ABOUT MAROON’S TIME IN EDMONTON

"Yeah, I was happy. Honestly guys, I wasn’t happy with the way the team performed but I didn’t really want to get traded out of Edmonton. Ya know, I actually loved it there. I actually liked it there. The fans were great. Do you know what the most important thing was? The guys were great. Unbelievable guys. You couldn’t have found a better group of guys but obviously I got traded for a reason, we weren’t winning but I found ways to have success in New Jersey when I got traded there. I liked New Jersey but it was one of those things where I didn’t want to leave Edmonton but I had an opportunity to go to New Jersey and play some meaningful games."

As a dedicated supporter of the team, you could see Maroon’s love for playing for the Edmonton Oilers on the ice. From the way, he celebrated goals to how he bought into the “team” mentality by sticking up for teammates to how he used Gene Principe’s first name in interviews.

Personally, he’s one of my favorite Oilers of all-time and I wish more players would carry themselves like Pat Maroon.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2016/17 AND 2017/18

"I think it was guys thought it would be easy again. I just thought the guys were going to have really good years again and me, I had a career year and I thought it was going to come again.Guys thought it was going to be easy. They got comfortable. It was harder than we thought. It came down to the last 10 games for us to make the playoffs that year and this past year going into camp, feeling it, a little cocky, you know how that is and guys got complacent and we didn’t realize how hard it was to actually get to where we were the year before and guys got too comfortable."

What I’m hearing here is Maroon holding himself and his former teammates accountable for the season instead of falling back and using injuries and other unforeseen circumstances as excuses for the team’s poor year. It’s a frank portrayal of how the season went from a player’s point-of-view.

From where I’m standing, I would’ve been okay had he brought up the injuries (including his own that he played through before being traded) and the other terrible things that happened over the year because I feel that they were legit reasons as to why the Edmonton Oilers didn’t make the post-season.

PLAYING WITH CONNOR MCDAVID

"He’s more of a lead by example kind of guy. It’s unbelievable, he’s a really good guy and you guys see on TV how nice he is, how humble he is. He comes to the rink everyday and he comes prepared. He doesn’t really say much but everybody sees when he’s ready and guys follow him. He’s one of those captains where he’s a good kid and he’s not like, everyone thinks he’s probably this arrogant hockey kid from Toronto, but he’s a very humble nice kid that everyone loves in the locker room and guys respect him so much. He gets along with everyone and we follow his lead."

So much for the “He’s too young to be captain” narrative.

PLAYING IN A CANADIAN MARKET ON A LOSING TEAM

"It sucks to be honest with you.We’re not doing so well and it’s towards the trade deadline and I go to the grocery store and this old man comes up to me and says,‘Yeah, you’re not having a good year like you did last year.’ I’m just like, ‘Yeah, you’re right, I’m not.’ And then he was just like, ‘I think the team needs to do this and that.’ And he’s just telling me about the team and what they need to do and my fiancee finally looked at him and said, ‘All right, I think your time is up.’Even when you go out to dinner, people come up to you and they try to be like the GM, coach, player, and you’re just like, ‘Man I would love to see you on the ice. But they’re not out there. And I’m out there. It’s a hard city to live in but it’s one of those things when you kind of chuckle and you laugh when you go to West Edmonton Mall and people are chirping you about how bad you are and walking around looking at the amusement park and the casino and you’re like, ‘Jesus, where am I right now? I’m playing hockey in the NHL."

Maroon pretty much nails it on the head here eh? The only thing going on in Northern Alberta is the Edmonton Oilers. I mean you could throw the Edmonton Eskimos football club in there, but if you’re honest with yourself, they can’t hold a candle to what the Oilers bring to the city.

It’s sad that folks, be they of an older vintage or be they of the millennial age, feel they have a right to walk up to a professional athlete and criticize them or even harass them in a public place. It’s not right and if you disagree, give your head a shake. If you see an Oiler outside of the arena, nod your head, say hi, and leave it at that.

Next: Oilers: Josh Currie and the Road Less Travelled

They’ll appreciate it more than you satisfying your ego to get an autograph or a photo.