"I’ll miss his face, as much as I hated it" - Nick Foligno gets candid about Pat Maroon's retirement decision

Pat Maroon announced before Saturday's game in St. Louis that he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 season.

The 36-year-old let it be known that it was his final time playing in his hometown at the Enterprise Center. Maroon has been known as one of the toughest customers in the league throughout his career, playing the agitator role with enough skill to be impactful in a middle-six role.

He's the kind of player one hates to go up against but loves to have on their side. A perfect example has been Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, who has played with and against Maroon throughout his career.

Foligno spoke about Maroon's retirement during his media availability on Tuesday. "CHGO Blackhawks" shared his response on X.

"It's sad," Foligno said. "I'll miss seeing his face, as much as I hated it throughout my whole career. But that's usually the sign of a great player, and a guy that's made an impact, right? He's a guy that you knew when he was on the ice. So we're gonna miss him."

Pat Maroon is in his first and what will be his only season as a Chicago Blackhawk after signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the team in 2024. He's been quite productive in a fourth-line role with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) through 61 games on the campaign.

Pat Maroon got a standing ovation from the St. Louis crowd on Saturday

The St. Louis, Missouri native and 2018-19 Stanley Cup champion as a member of the Blues received a nice reception from the Enterprise Center crowd on Saturday.

The NHL shared the touching moment on X.

The veteran forward spent one season as a St. Louis Blue. He registered 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) during the 2018-19 regular season and another seven points (three goals, four assists) in 26 playoff games en route to winning the Stanley Cup. He will always be remembered for his series-winning goal that year in double-overtime of Game 7 in the second round against the Dallas Stars.

Pat Maroon and the Blackhawks continue their season on Wednesday night when they host the New Jersey Devils. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EST at the United Center.