Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty is apparently going against the grain and leaving the NHL. According to a report from Nick Alberga, Pacioretty is calling it a career and heading into a management role.
Alberga reported that Pacioretty is heading to the University of Michigan, essentially retiring from the NHL. Pacioretty has not announced his retirement, especially after a summer of speculation regarding his potential landing spots.
He is now working with the University of Michigan.
One such spot was Edmonton. The Oilers were rumored as suitors for the ex-Montreal Canadiens captain. Other teams, including the Maple Leafs, were looking to bring Pacioretty in this summer. However, no deals materialized.
Pacioretty joined the Maple Leafs on a PTO last season, making the club out of camp. Injuries slowed him down throughout the regular season. However, Pacioretty came back and had a solid postseason.
Moving forward, the move to the University of Michigan could mean an end to his NHL playing days. Perhaps a formal announcement will be forthcoming at some point. In the meantime, such reports are rumors at this point.
Ultimately, heading back to the University of Michigan would be a sort of homecoming for the 36-year-old. Pacioretty played with the University of Michigan during the 2007-08 season. He appeared in 37 games, scoring 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points.
The Montreal Canadiens drafted him in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft, taking him 22nd overall. He would eventually become the team captain for three seasons before moving on to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Maple Leafs Could Use Pacioretty’s Leadership this Season
Evidently, Max Pacioretty doesn’t have a clear role with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. The newcomers in the club would squeeze the veteran forward out of a lineup spot. Nevertheless, that situation wouldn’t mean the Leafs couldn’t use Pacioretty0s leadership this season.
Pacioretty emerged as the club’s strongest forward during Toronto’s second-round series against the Florida Panthers last spring. Florida did a good job of shutting the Maple Leafs’ top scorers, leaving Pacioretty to pick up the slack.
In the locker room, Pacioretty acted as a leadership voice that supported first-year captain Auston Matthews. Heading into this season, the club could have used Pacioretty’s voice on the bench and on the ice.
However, there’s simply no spot in the Maple Leafs’ lineup for the veteran winger. So, it seems that greener pastures await him elsewhere.
Pacioretty May Still Return to the NHL
Fans may still see the Maple Leafs’ former player in the NHL at some point. Until Pacioretty formally announces his retirement, he could return to the ice at some point. NHL players nowadays have proven to be athletically capable of playing well into their mid and late 30s.
So, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see Pacioretty mount a comeback at some point. Perhaps some time away from the NHL could allow him to push the reset button and come back strong.
Judging from offseason rumors, several teams wanted to bring him into the fold this season. As such, it’s not unreasonable to assume that Pacioretty could be a mid-season acquisition for a club looking to get a boost.
Maple Leafs Former Vet Forward Unofficially Retiring: Rumor