By Warren Kozireski
Special to AnaheimDucks.com

Teams drafting in the early rounds of the NHL Entry Draft ideally look for players with multiple skill sets - skating, hands, size and/or speed among others.

In the later rounds, players with one or two of the above with some upside are more the norm.

Though not drafted by Anaheim, left wing Patrick Maroon was selected by Philadelphia in the sixth round (161st overall) in 2007. He was acquired by the Ducks last season, along with David Laliberte for Danny Syvret and Rob Bordson.

While Laliberte is in Europe this season, Maroon is climbing into the Ducks picture with eight goals and nine assists over his first 15 games this season in Syracuse highlighted by a four-point effort in late October.

At 6-4 and 225 pounds Maroon’s game is playing in the dirty areas around the net and in the corners. As with most his size, skating is a concern in terms of moving up to the next level, but something he is working on.

“I use a power-skating coach during the summer and, during the season, we have a lady down here in Syracuse helping me with the little things and keeping me where I am,” Maroon said.
“It’s great that we can skate with her because I can always get better and I think that’s one of the areas I need to be better in.”

Maroon has registered at least one point in nine of his first 15 games this season and leads Syracuse with 17 points (tied for 18th in the AHL) and is second in goals with eight. He is also second on the squad with 29 penalty minutes.

The St. Louis-native played two seasons in the NAHL with Texarkana and St. Louis respectively putting up 63 goals and 155 points in 114 games before being drafted.

He followed that with one season in the OHL in London and was equally proficient on offense with 35 goals and 55 assists in 64 games.  After being acquired one month into last season from the Flyers, Maroon netted 21 goals with 27 assists in 57 AHL games with Syracuse.

As to why he chose to leave London and junior hockey after just one season, Maroon said, “I spent two years in the NAHL and then got drafted. I went to training camp and they told me I needed to go work on things. I did and had a good year."

As a sixth rounder, nothing is being handed to the 23 year-old.

“I need to have a chip on my shoulder all the time. I just got lucky I got noticed by someone and drafted. I went to Philly and didn’t get a chance there, but Anaheim obviously saw something in me and is giving me a chance. Now it’s up to me to prove myself in the American League.Those two games I got charges me up because now I want to stay. Now I’m itching to do the little things to get noticed and get back there.