Pat Maroon returns to the Tampa Bay Lightning as team ambassador after winning 3 Stanley Cups across four seasons

The Tampa Bay Lightning has invited back one of their longtime champions. The tough forward had a big role in helping the team to win the Stanley Cup two consecutive times not only in 2020 and 2021 but also in an off-ice role that is varied and not a playing position.

Pat Maroon is back with the organization. Maroon has assumed the position of Alumni Relations Brand Ambassador, in which he will focus on community life and alumni relations.

Tampa Bay remained at the heart of Pat Maroon

The way Maroon has climbed on his way back to Tampa bay is highly personal and is seamlessly interlaced with personal relationships made in his time as a player. The 37-year-old announced his retirement in the summer of 2025, after a final season with the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL, and due to fewer games and a reduced role.

The Minnesota Wild (2023-24) and Boston Bruins (2024) brief stints only prolonged his retirement, yet the city of Tampa remained in his heart, and he took part in two of three Stanley Cups and established deep-rooted relationships with this community.

(Image Source - Getty Images)Maroon and his family—wife Francesca and their two young daughters—relocated back to Tampa in June 2025, drawn by the area's lifestyle and the organization's welcoming atmosphere.

In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Maroon explained his reasons for returning, emphasizing the emotional pull of the city and team. "I’m staying busy, which is a good thing. That’s a big thing with Tampa with the broadcasting stuff.

I don’t have to work every game. We have a couple guys. So it makes life easier for that. So when this opportunity came, it was a no-brainer for me," Maroon told Tampa Bay Times reporters.

Pat Maroon will contribute to Tampa Bay Lightning broadcasts during the 2025 26 NHL season

Head coach Jon Cooper has always been a big fan of Maroon's influence on the Lightning. Although there weren't any specific remarks about Maroon's return as an ambassador in the first announcements, Cooper's previous compliments shed light on why the team appreciates him. In 2021, at the peak of Tampa Bay's success, Cooper referred to Maroon as a one-of-a-kind asset during a post-game press conference following a playoff victory.Jon Cooper said, “In his new role, he will work closely with the Lightning in a variety of ways, including community appearances, growing the game of hockey in the Tampa Bay Area and supporting the organization in other facets. Maroon will also serve as an analyst for the team’s revamped television broadcast during the 2025-26 season”.Also Read: Toronto Maple Leafs target Jack Roslovic to fill offensive void after Mitch Marner departureThis homecoming isn't just about one player—it's a reminder of what made the Lightning special and a step toward sustaining that excellence in new ways.