Maple Leafs sign Pacioretty to PTO
The Toronto Maple Leafs added veteran free-agent winger Max Pacioretty on a professional tryout, the team announced Wednesday.
Pacioretty's agent, Allan Walsh, expects him to sign for the full year with Toronto before the start of the season, he said on X.
The Maple Leafs currently have $400,333 in cap space with a 22-player roster, per PuckPedia.
Pacioretty will turn 36 in November. He recorded four goals and 19 assists in 47 games with the Washington Capitals a season ago, averaging 14:26 per contest. His underlying numbers, specifically on defense, were poor.
Rumours surrounding UFA Max Pacioretty.
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 29, 2024
Former Habs captain and six-time 30 goal scorer had a tough go in WSH with just 4 markers.
Perimeter shooting threat, slow skater, struggled with turnovers and not super involved defensively. Reclamation project. pic.twitter.com/dcu6pxs5n4
The 16-year NHL veteran was limited to just five games in 2022-23 with the Carolina Hurricanes after tearing his Achilles twice in a five-month span. He previously spent four years with the Vegas Golden Knights and 10 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, wearing the "C" for three campaigns with the Habs.
Pacioretty was once one of the game's most prolific scorers, reaching the 30-goal mark five times with the Canadiens and once more with the Golden Knights. He tallied 19 goals in 39 games during his last season in Vegas in 2021-22.
While the Maple Leafs lack proven commodities at left wing, the competition at the position projects to run deep. The current depth chart includes Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann, the recently re-signed Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg, Connor Dewar, and top prospect Easton Cowan. Steven Lorentz is also attending camp on a PTO.