On this very day six years in the past the Vegas Golden Knights made a giant splash by buying Max Pacioretty from the Montreal Canadiens.
The Knights acquired the Habs former captain in a blockbuster deal sending Tomas Tatar, Nick Suzuki and a 2nd rd decide within the 2019 draft to the Canadiens. Quick ahead six years to at present, it seems as if Max Pacioretty will as soon as once more be heading again to Canada, this time to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Whereas it’s unknown at the moment whether or not Pacioretty can be heading to the Leafs on a PTO or a SPC(normal participant contract) the expectation is that he can be a Toronto Maple Leaf in keeping with the Each day Faceoffs’ Frank Seravalli.
Pacioretty spent 4 seasons with the Golden Knights the place he was an essential top-six contributor for the group. His greatest seasons got here throughout the 2019-2020 season when his 32 objectives and 66 factors led the group in each classes and throughout the covid-19 shortened season of 2020-2021 when he was over a point-per-game, scoring 51 factors in 48 video games performed. Pacioretty would play yet another yr in Vegas throughout the 2021-2022 season when he was restricted to simply 39 video games performed however nonetheless managed to attain 37 factors.
Through the ensuing low season the Golden Knights have been in a little bit of a wage cap crunch that resulted within the group dealing the ultimate yr of Paciorettys’ contract to the Carolina Hurricanes for future concerns.
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Since leaving Vegas Pacioretty has had a troublesome time staying wholesome. Through the low season earlier than even enjoying a recreation for his new group within the Carolina Hurricanes, Pacioretty suffered a torn achilles whereas coaching for the upcoming season. Pacioretty underwent surgical procedure on August tenth of 2022 to restore his achilles tendon which delayed his Hurricanes debut till his return on January fifth of 2023 in a recreation towards the Nashville Predators.
Pacioretty managed to attain 3 objectives in first 5 video games again since returning and seemed to be getting again to kind till catastrophe struck. On January nineteenth of 2023 in a recreation towards the Minnesota Wild, Pacioretty would tear his achilles for the 2nd time, ending his season and his stint with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pacioretty grew to become a UFA for the primary time in his NHL profession on July 1st, 2023 and regardless of nonetheless rehabbing from his harm, Pacioretty signed a one-year $2M greenback contract with the Washington Capitals. Pacioretty made his Capitals debut on January third of 2024 towards the New Jersey Devils, nearly a full calendar yr between his final recreation. Pacioretty went on to play in simply 47 video games for the Caps, scoring 4 objectives and 23 factors.
Now on the age of 35, Pacioretty will look to show that he can nonetheless be a productive top-six participant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs will search for Pacioretty to offer some wanted secondary scoring behind their high offensive gamers in new group captain Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares.
In 902 profession video games between the Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, the native of New Canaan, CT has amassed 330 objectives, 338 assists and 668 factors.