Wild trade Pat Maroon to the Bruins for a conditional draft pick

By Michael Russo, Joe Smith, and Floto Shinzawa

DENVER — One day after the Minnesota Wild traded Brandon Duhaime to the Colorado Avalanche for a draft pick, they moved forward Pat Maroon to the Boston Bruins for a conditional sixth-round draft pick and forward Luke Toporowski announced the teams on Friday. Toporowski was assigned to AHL Iowa. The condition in the selection is that the Wild only get it if the Maroon plays one playoff game.

Maroon is number 18 The athleteLatest Board of Trade.

Marrone knows a thing or two about how best to acclimate to a new team — being sent to the NHL organization for his seventh in 13 NHL seasons — which should bring comfort to the Bruins. He is a man of culture whose impact is best measured by more than the goals, points or minutes played. He's already seen an uptick in some of those metrics on an up-and-down Wild team.

However, Marrone underwent back surgery in early February and recently began light skating. It is believed he will be ready to make his debut for Boston towards the end of this month.

The man with the year-round playoff beard appeared in 150 postseason games and hoisted the Stanley Cup on three separate occasions.

Through 49 games he played, Maroon scored four goals and 16 points this season. In 778 regular season games, Maroon scored 121 goals and 304 points. The Wild are in danger of missing the playoffs for only the second time in the last 12 years. They have 66 points in 63 games and are sixth in the Central Division.

Maroon gives the Bruins the sixth depth they desperately need on the left side. Danton Heinen is currently the No. 2 left winger. James van Riemsdyk is the left winger on the third line. Once he is cleared to play after back surgery, Marrone is expected to slot in as the No. 4 left winger with Jacob Lauko.

The maroon tested in qualifying is not as fast as Laoko. But he brings experience and heft. He should be a good addition to the team chemistry.

Shattenkirk agrees to the buyout

Kevin Shattenkirk is a Pat Maroon fan. The two won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019-20. Maroon scored six goals and made 14 assists in 64 games that season. He added six points in 25 playoff games.

“The guy you want on your team, on the ice and off the ice,” Shattenkirk said. “Great personality in the locker room. Great voice in the locker room who knows when to add some serious talk and when it's time to work. Obviously he knows when it's time to lighten up the room a little bit. Obviously the experience is great. He knows how to play in this time of year.” This year, he goes into the playoffs.”

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(Photo: Matt Bluett/USA Today)