Former captain of a direct rival may be an enticing option for the Maple Leafs
Former Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty could be a valuable addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs as a veteran depth piece.
Toronto GM Brad Treliving has indicated that the Maple Leafs are not done improving their roster before the 2024-25 season begins. Max Pacioretty, a former captain of the Canadiens, arguably the Leafs' biggest rivals,, could be the ideal depth forward to complete their lineup.
According to Frank Seravalli on X, Pacioretty has already attracted interest from several NHL teams, so if the Maple Leafs are interested in the former six-time 30-goal scorer, now is the time to act.
While Pacioretty was a key contributor during his time with the Canadiens, his career has been hampered by various injuries in recent seasons. After suffering a severe Achilles injury that limited him to just five games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23, he demonstrated that he can still contribute in a supporting role by scoring 23 points in 47 games with the Washington Capitals in 2023-24.
If Nick Robertson continues to delay signing an extension with the Maple Leafs as he awaits a trade, they should consider taking a chance on Pacioretty. He brings significant leadership, goal-scoring ability, and could be a great locker room presence to help develop younger talent. Plus, he still appears to have some productive years left, even at 35 years old.
Source: HockeyDB
Max Pacioretty Statistics
| POLL | ||
AOUT 24 | 904 ANSWERS Former captain of a direct rival may be an enticing option for the Maple Leafs Should the Maple Leafs take a chance on Max Pacioretty as a depth piece? | ||
| Yes | 377 | 41.7 % |
| No | 527 | 58.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
