Maroon wasted no time showing his new employer what he was all about, as in his first preseason game as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning, he dropped the gloves with Predators winger Austin Watson.
Blues fans know very well what Maroon brings to the table, and it was painful for a lot of fans to watch Maroon leave for the Bay Area. However, he is signed at a very low price which could open up a potential return.
Maroon is locked up at just $900k, and after what we saw from the Big Rig last season, this price will be a steal. A guy like Maroon is precisely what the Lightning have been missing, and it might be difficult to pry him away from Tampa.
However, if the Blues look up in January and have a clear and obvious need for a big body like his, it won’t be the worst thing in the world to give the Lightning a call looking to reacquire him.
The problem with this is part of the reason why the Blues let him walk in the first place. While there is a prominent spot for Maroon on the current roster, he is blocking chances for younger players.
Kostin is a perfect example of this. He currently leads the club in points this preseason, and I’m not sure he gets as much attention if Maroon is still on the roster.
As much as I would love to see Maroon in a Blue note, and I do think he would be a valuable addition to the 2020 roster, it still blocks some of the younger players and prohibits them from showcasing their skills.