Oilers' Maroon thriving as expensive free agents falter

Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli isn't a flawless front office executive. The veteran roster architect has carried out his fair share of maligned decisions - the trades that sent away Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin being at the top of that list - but every once in a while, he comes up with a game-changer.

Such is the case with Patrick Maroon, one of the Oilers' most astute acquisitions as of late, and now one of the best bargains of 2016-17.

The big-bodied winger came to town as the embodiment of everything Chiarelli built during his time in Boston - heavy and menacing, but with deceptive skill. Maroon has exceeded all expectations this season, meshing well with the Oilers' top young talents and outshining the club's more high-profile acquisitions.

Through 56 games, Maroon ranks second on the team with 19 goals, bested only by Leon Draisaitl's 20. His 27 points rank fifth, with only the team's most notable stars - Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, and Milan Lucic - sitting above him.

A closer look at Maroon's production makes it clear just how valuable he's been in Edmonton.

Stellar at even strength

While Maroon is among the team's top offensive weapons overall, he's even higher on the list when it comes to 5-on-5 play. His 17 even-strength goals are the most of any Oiler this season, while his 23 even-strength points are third on the team. Only McDavid and Draisaitl have put more points on the board at 5-on-5.

Adding to that unexpectedly high-end production, Maroon also boasts a team-leading Corsi rating of 56, and he's laid down 131 hits thus far, which is second among all Edmonton forwards.

There are two mind-blowing aspects of Maroon's 2016-17 season to consider.

The first is that the heavy-footed former Anaheim Ducks rumbler came into the season with career highs of just 12 goals and 27 points.

The second? Maroon is bringing all of his aforementioned value to the table for an absurdly low cap hit of only $1.5 million.

Where's Milan?

His bargain-bin impact would make Chiarelli look like a contractual genius if it wasn't for a few other names on the roster. The biggest elephant in the room: Milan Lucic's $6-million annual cap hit.

Lucic hasn't been terrible - he does have 30 points on the season thus far. But he hasn't been nearly as offensively useful as Maroon, and the former Boston Bruins bruiser commands a salary four-times greater than his fellow free-agent signing.

Making matters worse, Lucic is only in the first year of his contract, which is on the books until 2023. It's an inconvenience in any case, and could potentially be a colossal mistake with key names like McDavid and Draisaitl needing to be re-signed over the next few summers.

While other stumbling veterans like Benoit Pouliot - who takes home $4 million per year - at least have the excuse of not getting as much ice time alongside McDavid as Maroon, Lucic has no such out.

Lucic and Maroon have each spent over 200 even-strength minutes on their captain's wing, and the more inexpensive player has simply been a more effective option.

It's not a good look for Lucic, or the manager who handed him the heftiest of free-agent deals. But it's certainly a welcome plot twist for the now crucially important Maroon, who's set to cash in once he reaches free agency in 2018.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)