New Jersey Devils acquire Patrick Maroon at trade deadline

The New Jersey Devils acquired Patrick Maroon from the Edmonton Oilers at the NHL trade deadline.

It was only a matter of where, not if, Patrick Maroon was going to get traded.

With the Edmonton Oilers out of playoff contention, the writing was on the wall for Maroon. At the closing of the NHL trade deadline, Maroon learned that he was traded to the New Jersey Devils for a third-round pick and the rights to Joey Dudek.

The Devils have overachieved this season and are making a push to make the playoffs for the first time since losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.

The Oilers originally acquired Maroon at the deadline in 2016. Maroon had a successful tenure with the Oilers, scoring eight goals and 14 points. The Devils are hoping that Maroon experiences similar success as they make a playoff push. After scoring a career-high 27 goals and 42 points in 2016-17, Maroon has scored only 14 goals and 30 points in 57 games this season.

Devils coach John Hynes will likely use Maroon on the second or third line as they look to improve their secondary scorer. Hynes could also use Maroon on the power play, where he would use his big body to screen the goal. Maroon is the prototypical power forward who is not afraid to be physical in the corners, stand in front of the ice or get in a fight.

Leading up to the deadline, general manager Ray Shero acquired Michael Grabner to give New Jersey another scoring winger. Adding Maroon and Grabner gives the Devils potentially three scoring lines. However, both Maroon and Grabner are free agents at the end of the season.

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With Maroon set to hit the market this summer, Peter Chiarelli’s hands were tied. He had to trade Maroon and get whatever return he could. Getting a third-round pick is a fair return for the Oilers.

Edmonton also got the rights to Dudek, who is a junior at Boston College. This season, Dudek has scored six goals and has 17 points in 33 games.