ST PAUL, Minn — Pat Maroon, we hardly knew thee.
With the clock ticking down to the NHL's trade deadline, the Minnesota Wild struck a deal to send the veteran forward to Boston in exchange for a draft pick and prospect Luke Toporowski.
Maroon was acquired by the Wild from Tampa Bay in the offseason in hopes he could fill a leadership void left by the free agent departure of defenseman Matt Dumba. The big winger has been part of three Stanley Cup winners in Tampa Bay (2020 and 2021) and St. Louis (2019).
Before landing on injured reserve and undergoing back surgery in early February, Maroon had chipped in four goals and 16 total points for the Wild in 49 games this year, playing up and down the lineup. And while Maroon could be counted on to provide a physical game and occasional scoring, his value is more measured in the impact he has on team culture, knowing what it takes to win and both motivating and steadying teammates.
Toporowski, a 22-year-old forward, has shown an ability to score while playing for Boston's AHL affiliate in Boston the past two seasons, picking up 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 96 games. He is a native of Davenport, Iowa.
The Bruins also threw in a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2026.
In another transaction announced Friday, the Wild have confirmed that the club has acquired career minor leaguer Turner Elson from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Nic Petan. Elson, 31, is a forward who has skated in 13 AHL seasons, mustering three games at the NHL level.
The 28-year-old Petan has been with Minnesota for two seasons, mostly skating at AHL Iowa. In 16 games with the big club, he has notched one goal and four assists.
On Thursday the Wild sent pending free agent Brandon Duhaime to Colorado for a third-round pick in 2026.
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