Oilers' Patrick Maroon tears up watching son's reaction to his goal

Patrick Maroon’s return to his hometown of St. Louis reminds us that life in the NHL isn’t always as glamorous as it may seem.

Lost in the joy of the game and the million-dollar salaries is the fact that many NHL players leave their families behind as they transition to new teams and new cities. When the Edmonton Oilers visited the St. Louis Blues on Monday night, Maroon had the rare opportunity to see his family and play in front of his adoring son, Anthony.

After the Blues won the game in overtime, Sportsnet broadcaster Gene Principe caught up with Maroon, whose deft deflection in the third period had tied the game at 2-2. Watching a video clip of Anthony’s reaction to his dad’s game-tying goal, Maroon became overwhelmed with emotion.

“It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty emotional,” Maroon said. “It’s pretty cool (and) I don’t get to see him as much, but it’s pretty special.”