Leafs F Max Pacioretty Discusses His Recovery From the Injuries that Nearly Ended his Career
Max Pacioretty of the Toronto Maple Leafs has talked openly about his two Achilles injuries, and thinking his NHL career was over.
When he's healthy, Max Pacioretty has the ability to be one of the most consistent goal scorers in the NHL. The key detail there is when he's healthy. After tearing his Achilles tendon twice in five months and thinking his career was over, Pacioretty, who recently signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is now opening up on what he went through, and how he got through it.
In an interview with the Athletic detailing his career-saving comeback from the two Achilles injuries, Pacioretty said Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, a doctor in Germany, is the reason he was able to return to the game he loves in 2024-25.
"He just does something that no one else can do," Pacioretty says. "He's been doing it since before MRIs and CT scans. And he has that magical touch He saved my career."
"He was able to diagnose what was going on in there and how to get it to start functioning properly again," Pacioretty said.
With that nightmare behind him, Pacioretty said he has no reason to believe that he can't return to his offensive ways with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25.
"In my mind, it's like, if my body is at where it was before the injuries, why wouldn't I be able to come in and score goals and help offensively? I was scoring at a very good clip before these injuries. I'm healthy and I'm strong and I'm ready to go."
Pacioretty's first game since his return will be against a familiar face. Once the captain of the Montreal Canadiens, Pacioretty now finds himself on the other side of one of the NHL's hottest and oldest rivalries. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens faceoff in the season opener Wednesday night at 7 PM ET.
POLL |
OCTOBRE 9 | 1402 ANSWERS Leafs F Max Pacioretty Discusses His Recovery From the Injuries that Nearly Ended his Career Will Max Pacioretty score 20 goals (at least) with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season? |
Yes | 887 | 63.3 % |
No | 432 | 30.8 % |
Not sure | 83 | 5.9 % |
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Previously on MapleLeafsDaily