The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams interested in signing Max Pacioretty ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season, The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga reports.
Toronto are among several teams interested in inking the 35-year-old veteran forward, Alberga reports. If Pacioretty were to sign with the Maple Leafs, it would be on a standard NHL contract, rather than a professional tryout option (PTO). ‘
The Athletic’s Arthur Staple also reported that the Detroit Red Wings are among the teams in the mix to sign Pacioretty.
Pacioretty spent the 2023-24 season with the Washington Capitals, recording four goals and 23 points in 47 games. The veteran forward has suffered numerous Achilles tears in recent seasons, and he hasn’t played more than 48 games since the 2019-20 season.
It would appear that Pacioretty would join the Maple Leafs in a fourth-line role initially, with the capacity to be moved through the lineup if deemed necessary. Pacioretty started his career with the Montreal Canadiens and was eventually named team captain in September 2015, with P.K. Subban in the running, holding the captaincy until he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in September 2018.
Pacioretty would be another veteran voice in a room and a wealth of leadership during a season where Auston Matthews is taking over the Maple Leafs’ captaincy. He’s a six-time 30-goal scorer and though he’s several years removed from his prime, Pacioretty would be an upgrade on the Maple Leafs’ current fourth line, provided he remains healthy. Pacioretty has recorded 330 goals and 668 points in 902 career games and this could be one of his final opportunities to win an elusive Stanley Cup, with a further chance to cross the 1,000-game milestone in two seasons.
It’s a compelling target for the Maple Leafs, and though he may not be the most natural fit, he would likely constitute an upgrade — or at the very least, a proven quantity — for the team’s fourth line.
The Leafs Nation will update this story as more details emerge.
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More to come.
