Max Pacioretty's first game as a Toronto Maple Leaf shows he still has the passion
Article content
Most NHLers 35 and older treat exhibition games with disdain, if they must participate at all.
Not Max Pacioretty, who geared up for Sunday’s match at a less-than-full Scotiabank Arena like it was the Maple Leafs’ season opener.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Max Pacioretty's first game as a Toronto Maple Leaf shows he still has the passion Back to video
“I was nervous about a lot of stuff,” Pacioretty said. “I don’t think my wife has watched a pre-season game in 15 years and she was trying to find out what channel it was on back home.
“It’s a privilege to play in this league and, when it’s taken from you a little bit, you realize you can take it for granted. Even for a pre-season game, with the history of this team, it got me (jumpy) and that’s a good thing.”
tap here to see other videos from our team.
This was the big left winger’s rollout from a long summer of training, having made it past two career-threatening Achilles tendon injuries and able to concentrate for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic on properly preparing for an 82-game season.
On a new team, with a new coach and a contract not yet secure for 2024-25, he came out of the gate with two goals and an assist, and nearly a game-winning hat trick in an eventual 6-5 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators.
“I talked to you guys about how good I felt (through a week of training camp), so I have to prove that you can’t go out there and throw out a dud,” Pacioretty said with a grin.
He played 15:35, had six shots on net and was plus-2. His goals were typically Patches, a nimble tip of Morgan Rielly’s point shot and some mustard on a long snap through Mads Sogaard’s five-hole.
“I’m definitely happy to be rewarded, but I have a lot to improve on,” he said. “I started to lose a bit of energy in the second period, but was able to find my legs in the third. That’s what camp is for and I haven’t had (a real) one in a long time.”
“You guys saw in camp how the first couple of days were (under incoming coach Craig Berube), really intense, really hard. It’s a big reason we want to be in shape for the way we want to play — in your face. That was a bright spot, (for himself to still have zip) in the third.”
This was also the first game Pacioretty was back with former Vegas Golden Knight teammate Ryan Reaves, who is two years his senior.
“A great friend of mine, I always say the best teammate I ever played with,” Pacioretty said. “It’s so important to have a guy like that on your team. He sets the tone in the room every morning and on the ice, he stands up for everyone. Just the ultimate teammate and I’m so happy to be reunited.”
Reaves, who boxed Ottawa farmhand Donovan Sebrango after a hard hit from behind, was pleased to see Pacioretty step in so seamlessly.
“I’m happy for him, for everything he has gone through in the past couple of years, to battle like he has,” Reaves said. “The guy can shoot, can put the puck in the net, he’s known for that. He’s off to a good start.”
X: @sunhornby
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.