Max Pacioretty Issues First Public Comments Since Signing Contract with the Maple Leafs
Newly-signed Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty has shared his first public comments following the announcement of his 1-year contract on Monday.
After coming to Maple Leafs training camp on a professional tryout agreement this fall, Pacioretty showed doubters that age is just a number when he produced 5 points during the pre-season.
Pacioretty's efforts earned him a standard player contract with the club, which contains two separate performance bonuses -- a $313,115 bonus for playing 10 games and an addition bonus at the same number for playing 35 games. These targets are both reachable for Pacioretty, who can earn as much as $1.5M this year when all is said and done.
Pacioretty told the media in Toronto on Monday that he is thrilled to be able to sign a contract with the Maple Leafs, also adding that he has every intention of being a legitimate contributor and not just a passenger.
Pacioretty will wear the number 67 for the Leafs this season, a number with a certain historical significance for the team. Obviously, the Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, so, naturally, there has been a certain superstitious aura surrounding the number 67. Pacioretty, who has worn the number throughout his career, was not about to change it now, however, simply because he became a Maple Leaf.
At the moment, Pacioretty appears earmarked for a role in the middle-six in Toronto, but there's no denying there's some top-6 potential, given his scoring history in the league. While he may be a little long in the tooth at 35, soon to be 36, there's still some quality hockey left in the tank for the former Montreal Canadiens captain.
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