The Boston Bruins are hoping they have their Stanley Cup good luck charm, acquiring forward Pat Maroon from the Wild.
Maroon, 35, won the Stanley Cup in three straight seasons, beginning with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 before a back-to-back run with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Bruins gave up forward Luke Toporowski and a conditional 2026 sixth-round draft pick.
This appears to be a deal for the playoffs since Maroon underwent back surgery a month ago and was scheduled to be out four to six weeks.
When healthy, he's a rugged, fourth-line presence who often takes the ice after an opponent's goal to help swing the momentum,
The Minnesota Wild have struggled this season, and Maroon, in his first year with the club, became expendable at a cheap rate. He's winding down a two-year deal that pays him $1 million annually.
With the Bruins, he can be expected to take up space in front of the net, and not be afraid to mix it up with the opponent. His scoring touch is not what it once was, though he's had his moments across his career. In 2021-22, he had 11 goals with the Lightning. And in 2016-17, he had 27 with the Edmonton Oilers.
The move is also a reunion of sorts for Maroon and Bruins broadcaster Jack Edwards, who made fun of the player's weight during a Boston-Tampa Bay game in 2022. After the comments went viral, Edwards sought out Maroon in the Lightning locker room and apologized.