TAMPA, Fla. — St. Louis native and former Blues player Patrick "Pat" Maroon responded with a charitable gesture after a broadcaster mocked his weight Tuesday night.
Maroon's current team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, played the Boston Bruins on the road, losing 3-1. But the headline that came out of that game wasn't the final score.
Midway through the first period, NESN broadcaster for the Boston Bruins Jack Edwards commented about the 6-foot-3 winger's size and his three Stanley Cup championships.
"[Maroon] is listed at 238 pounds.. that was day one of training camp," Edwards said during the broadcast. "I've got a feeling he's had a few more pizzas between then and now. Fasting...inadvertent fasting for Pat Maroon is like four hours without a meal."
"But hey, [he's won] three [Stanley Cups] in a row! Who can argue with his formula?" he said about Maroon's championships.
Wednesday afternoon, Maroon reacted to the comments made by Edwards.
He tweeted:
"In support of those struggling with mental health, bullying and body image I am making a 2,000 donation in the name of @realjackedwards to @TampaBayThrives and I encourage @TBLightning and @NHL fans to join me. Donate here: http://Tampabaylightning.com/donate"
Maroon said he was making a $2,000 donation in Jack Edwards' name to Tampa Bay Thrives, a nonprofit that assists those struggling with mental health and substance use issues.
He made a call to action for others to join him in the donation process, which he said was "in support of those struggling with mental health, bullying and body image."
Maroon was born and raised in Oakville, Missouri in south St. Louis, and graduated from Oakville High School.
He was a member of the St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League from 2006-2007. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.
His breakout year though came in the 2011-2012 season when he finally reached the NHL, playing with the Anaheim Ducks and eventually the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils.
The St. Louis native signed as a free agent during the 2018 offseason with the St. Louis Blues on a one-year deal. That deal would lead to history for the city and team.
One of the most memorable moments in St. Louis Blues history belongs to him by scoring the series-clinching goal in double overtime of Game 7 to send the team to the Western Conference Final in 2019.
They would then win their first Stanley Cup in team history and Maroon's first in his career.
While Pat Maroon did not stay with his hometown team the next season, he would go on to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would then go on to win two more Stanley Cups in a row with the team, becoming the first player to go three-for-three in different uniforms since the expansion era in 1967.
For those who are interested in making a donation to Tampa Bay Thrives, click here.