When it came to off-season trade candidates, Montreal’s Max Pacioretty was at or near the top of most lists.
The perennial 30-goal scorer had a down season in 2017-18 and is entering the final year of his contract, which is the root of all this speculation. In fact, there was some smoke at the draft that Pacioretty had been traded to the Los Angeles Kings, but that the deal fell through.
Many expected Pacioretty to be dealt before the start of the season, but with training camps drawing near the situation may not play out that way. On Tuesday the Canadiens captain hosted his annual golf tournament and was asked about his future with the team. While he is still a member of the Canadiens today, Pacioretty stated that he has not had any negotiations with the team on a contract extension.
Also in attendance at the golf tournament were GM Marc Bergevin and owner Geoff Molson, who both expect Pacioretty to be part of Montreal’s training camp next month.
Pacioretty is in the final season of a deal that pays him $4.5 million against the cap and can become an unrestricted free agent as a 30-year-old next summer. Though he managed just 17 goals last season, Pacioretty has scored 30 in each of his five full NHL seasons and is a prime candidate to bounce back to form.
After Evander Kane landed a $7 million AAV contract from the San Jose Sharks via free agency this summer, Pacioretty is in line for a big raise.
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