After missing frequent time over the past few seasons due to various injuries, Max Pacioretty feels he is fully healthy and hungry to show he still has plenty left in the tank.
Pacioretty said he made sure to owe it to his family given all that he had to do this summer to put himself in a position to earn a shot in Toronto after completing his first practice session at training camp Thursday.
“I wanted to take my time this summer, see where I can get my body at to see how teams shape up and then we had a plan that we’ll talk to teams a little bit later in the summer and see where there could be a good fit,” Pacioretty said on the process that led to him signing a PTO.
“Ultimately both sides thought that this could be a good fit. My family and I made a lot of sacrifices this summer: a lot of travel, a lot of work. So I owe it to myself and to them to see if I can get to where I was before the injuries. The good news is I feel like I’m there and I can’t wait to prove it.”
Pacioretty has had some rough injury woes derailing his offseason training and the start of his campaigns for the past few years, including two Achilles tears within six months during the 2022-23 season. It resulted in him appearing in 91 games out of a possible 246 contests since the start of the 2021-22 season, where he combined to score 63 points (26 goals and 37 assists) in that span.
The veteran forward noted that he was able to have a full offseason training for the first time in three years and that is fuelling his desire to return to form. It will certainly be a daunting task doing it in one of the scrutinized markets in the NHL, but he is used to being under the intense lights from his decade-long stint in Montreal.
“I haven’t talked in front of this many cameras in four years,” Pacioretty said. “At this stage in my career, I have a lot to prove right now and this certainly adds a little bit more motivation. I think I’ve always kind of thrived under the spotlight and the pressure and every day it pushes you to prepare to be the best you can be. Today was an example of that. It was a really hard practice. Everyone rose to the occasion and had a great practice. But I loved my time in Montreal and that’s a big reason why I feel like I could play in this market.”
The transition to a new team is always an adjustment period, but Pacioretty has mentioned that he appreciates being part of a welcoming group which has helped in transitioning to life in Toronto. But beyond acquainting himself to his new teammates, he working on maintaining the fitness level he has reached after getting a chance to properly train during the summer.
Pacioretty admitted it took him some time to get back to full speed but he feels he is now in a good place physically entering the season.
“It wasn’t perfect when I first started training, I realized how deconditioned my body really was through the almost three years of of being injured and being on the couch or whatnot,” he said. “Physically. I really like where I’m at. What’s cool about right now in this day and age is you have the measurements to show you that everything’s strong. I’m where I was before in terms of strength and power, and I’m looking to prove that on the ice.”
He may be currently on a PTO, but all signs point to him getting a permanent contract before the start of the regular season. Brad Treliving and Pacioretty’s agent, Allan Walsh, said as such last week when the news first dropped of him getting the PTO so it is only a matter of time before it comes to fruition.
Should that be the case, you can expect him to don his usual #67 which he has worn since the start of his career with the Canadiens. Pacioretty said he is aware of the importance of that number to Leafs fans and hopes it can bring good fortune to his new team.
“I’ve heard fans say one or two ways it’s either it’s going to be good luck or bad luck,” he said. “But I hope to bring the team good luck with that number.”
