The Mercury News

Lightning’s Maroon is looking to join elite Cup company

- By The Associated Press

Patrick Maroon signed with the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 2018 to play in front of young son Anthony and try to bring the Stanley Cup back to his hometown.

After accomplish­ing that in 2019, he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning and helped them hoist the Cup in 2020. One more Lightning win and Maroon becomes just the fourth player in NHL history and the first since 1964 to win the Stanley Cup three seasons in a row with two different teams.

“It’s a great achievemen­t,” Maroon said Monday. “It would be an amazing accomplish­ment, that’s for sure . .... It’s exciting, though, to be talked about like that.”

Ed Litzenberg­er was the last to accomplish such a feat, with Chicago in 1961 and then Toronto from 196264. Even if he’d need another ring next year to match Litzenberg­er, Maroon would be in a class of his own to be the first player to go 3 for 3 in different uniforms since the expansion era began in 1967 and expanded the league beyond six teams.

Teammates don’t think it’s any coincidenc­e Maroon has played on so many winning teams.

“He’s got a savviness that he brings with him into the locker room, and it rubs off to guys and brings a certain level of confidence,” Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “Not over the top, but just enough to know that if you do the right things, you play to your team’s structure, you have a chance to win every night and he keeps that group, our group pulling in the same direction.”

Now facing Maroon as a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, former Blues teammate Joel Edmundson said the 33-year-old forward brings a winning approach on and off the ice.

“He’s one of those guys that gets guys laughing in the dressing room, and obviously he’s a big part of their forward group,” Edmundson said. “He’s just obviously a big body and a good locker room guy.”

 ?? PAUL CHIASSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevski­y eyes the puck after making a save against Montreal’s Eric Staal, right, in Game 4 Monday night. The Canadiens won 3-2 in overtime.
PAUL CHIASSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevski­y eyes the puck after making a save against Montreal’s Eric Staal, right, in Game 4 Monday night. The Canadiens won 3-2 in overtime.

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