Report: Maroon's decision could be delayed by agent change

Patrick Maroon is the best unrestricted free agent committed to playing in 2018-19 who's still available on the open market, and now there appears to be an explanation for why.

Maroon has switched from St. Louis-based agent Allain Roy to the Minneapolis-based Ben Hankinson, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Thomas adds that this may be delaying his decision on a new team.

Maroon is reportedly expected to sign with his hometown St. Louis Blues, but the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes appear to be in the mix as well.

"He could end up signing with St. Louis as early as today or tomorrow, but he's got some other good options as well," Hankinson told KFAN radio in Minneapolis on Sunday. "So we're kind of sorting through the one- versus two- versus three-year options for him."

Maroon, 30, is coming off the two best seasons of his career. He scored a career-high 27 goals in 2016-17, then tallied a career-best 43 points this past year.