At 35, Max Pacioretty’s best years are behind him.
However, with the experience he has, the former Habs can still make an important contribution to a team and that is exactly what the Toronto Maple Leafs saw in him when they offered him a professional trial.
A few weeks of camp later, Pacioretty will get one last chance to prove himself, during the Leafs’ final preseason game on Saturday night. Pacioretty has made a good impression and he already seems to be seeing himself this season in a Toronto uniform.
“It’s time to get serious. I’m not saying that the last five games weren’t serious, but it’s time to feel good about our level of play. We have to prove our new identity with a new coach, carry out the small details. Tonight, we have to do all the little details,” said Pacioretty, who also added that he still has progress to make personally.
Nonetheless, Pacioretty was able to prove his worth to the Maple Leafs. Head coach Craig Berube praised Pacioretty’s scoring skills, but he also explained that Pacioretty’s style of play fits what he wants to see from his team.
“I think he can be a good role player to win battles and be good in possession, that’s the way we want to play. We want to have puck time in the offensive zone, we want to keep the puck. He can do that,” said the Toronto coach.
We still don’t know if Pacioretty will have done enough to earn a spot with the Maple Leafs, but he is enjoying his experience with Toronto so far.
“There’s a reason they’ve been successful, they’re the hardest working group I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve seen it since day one, they are hard-working players who put in a lot of time and they take care of themselves. It’s good to be with them on the ice. »
If Pacioretty is signed by the Maple Leafs, his debut with the team could well be against his former team, the Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs will visit the Habs next Wednesday for their first game of the season.
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