Former Capital Max Pacioretty Still Unsigned; Does He Retire?

With the NHL offseason officially in mid-August, many unrestricted free agents have already signed with their teams. One of the names still on the market, however, is longtime winger Max Pacioretty. The 35-year-old suited up for the Washington Capitals last season after missing significant time due to tearing his Achilles twice. He was only able to play in five games for the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2022-23 campaign, and scored three goals during that brief time on the ice with the team. He signed with the Capitals back on July 1, 2023; and was able to don their jersey for 47 regular-season games, with an additional four in the 2024 playoffs.

Whether Max Pacioretty signs with another NHL team or officially retires from the game, he deserves credit for everything he accomplished in his career. He was not in Washington for a long time, but he is a storied talent who played a little bit of time for the Capitals.

Max Pacioretty and the Montreal Canadiens

Whenever the hockey world thinks of Max Pacioretty, most people are going to picture him as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. He spent most of his career there. Pacioretty was selected by them with the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He was also the captain from 2015 to 2018. Being captain of any NHL team is a huge honor for whoever receives it. Becoming a captain for an Original Six franchise adds another level, and it means even more to have it be a Canadian organization. Pacioretty earned the captaincy through leading by example. He was a force offensively and was sometimes their best player on the ice. In 626 games for Montreal, he scored 226 goals and registered 222 assists for 448 points.

While with the Canadiens, Pacioretty won the Bill Masterton Award for 2011-12. The award is given to the player who comes back from a career-threatening illness or injury. He came back after suffering a fractured vertebra and a concussion after he was hit by Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara and went into the stanchion between the two benches. He came back during the 2011-12 campaign, and produced 33 goals and 32 assists for 65 points in 79 games.

Max Pacioretty while he was with the Montreal Canadiens (Wikipedia)

Max Pacioretty’s best offensive stats with the Canadiens came in 2014-15 and 2016-17, when he got 67 points each. In 2014-15, he scored 37 goals and registered 30 assists. The 2016-17 campaign had Pacioretty get 35 goals and 32 assists.

Max Pacioretty’s Season in D.C.

The Canadiens traded Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2019 second-round draft pick. The deal occurred on September 10, 2018. Pacioretty was on the Golden Knights for four seasons. He represented Vegas at the NHL All-Star Game in 2020. His best season with Vegas was 2019-20. Pacioretty notched 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points in 71 games.

Pacioretty was then dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Dylan Coghlan, for future considerations on July 13, 2022. That was when he got his Achilles injury, and only played in five games for Carolina. He hit free agency in 2023 and signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals.

While with Washington, Pacioretty played in more games than he did during his time with the Hurricanes. In 47 games, he scored four goals and 19 assists for 23 points. Additionally, he also got an assist in four playoff games during the series against the New York Rangers.

Should Pacioretty Retire?

Obviously, a decision of this magnitude will be discussed between Pacioretty and his family. I feel like with the Achilles injuries he dealt with, there is risk to try and play more in the league. He turns 36 years old in November. I certainly think he will not return to Washington, at least as things appear right now. Former Capitals GM Brian MacLellan already made additions this summer to the forward ranks. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane are potential solid point producers for Washington in 2024-25. They also addressed depth at the position by signing Taylor Raddysh and Brandon Duhaime. That, mixed with younger players making the full-time jump like Hendrix Lapierre, I just do not see a fit for Pacioretty.

That being said, I think Pacioretty finds another home in the NHL. Maybe he waits until midway through the season to sign a contract with another team who needs another forward. Maybe he gets a player tryout around training camp. Either way, if Pacioretty wants to keep playing, I think he can find a home with an NHL team. If he retires, then he had a great career. It is unfortunate injuries played a significant part in it, but he overcame a lot. He is inspiring. Ultimately, he might not have been in Washington long. However, even being in the locker room a short time, he no doubt made an impact on some of the younger players who were there with him.