Max Pacioretty—a 35-year-old winger last with the Washington Capitals—has signed a Professional Tryout deal to join the Toronto Maple Leafs for fast-approaching training camp. Per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Red Wings were the other team expressing some measure of interest in Pacioretty’s services. To miss out on the veteran depth piece is hardly a back-breaker for Detroit, but he could enjoy a nice bounce-back season, not unlike the one Patrick Kane just enjoyed with the Red Wings.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
At his peak, Pacioretty was an effective scoring winger who could be counted upon for an honest defensive effort. In 10 seasons in Montreal, he played 626 games, scoring 226 goals and giving 221 assists, while wearing the “C” as captain by the end of his tenure. Last year, Pacioretty was not a very productive player for the Capitals. He scored four goals and chipped in 19 assists for 23 points in 47 games in ’23-24. However, the key context for those numbers is that the Connecticutian winger tore his Achilles, while a Carolina Hurricane, in January 2023. So, perhaps a bit like Kane’s renaissance following hip resurfacing surgery in Detroit a year ago, Pacioretty might benefit from a healthy summer better allowing him to train in the way he needs to best prepare for a season.
It’s been an excellent career for Pacioretty, with the latest accolade coming last season when he surpassed his former coach Red Berenson as the highest scoring Michigan Wolverines alumni in NHL history. While he won’t be doing with a Winged Wheel on, I think Pacioretty is a player just about any hockey fan can get behind as he looks to close to his career on his terms, even if he’s doing it in Toronto.
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