Max Pacioretty (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/af4637e3-611b-4d9e-9900-e53096bbe533.jpeg] Max Pacioretty (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) Max Pacioretty wasn’t the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Masterton Award nominee, but he’s making a big impact in his comeback. About a month ago, we argued that center John Tavares deserved to be the Maple Leafs’ nominee for the Masterton Award [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/why-john-tavares-deserves-the-toronto-maple-leafs-masterton-nomination], given annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication” to the game. He was the nominee but is not a finalist this year. But multiple players can be deserving of the nomination, and Pacioretty has reinvented himself at 36 to be one of the best bargain pickups of the season. When Pacioretty landed in Toronto [http://thn.com/toronto] in October, it’s safe to say there wasn’t a long lineup of teams for his services. He suffered through multiple serious injuries, and he hadn’t played more than 71 games in a season since 2016-11, when he was still with the Montreal Canadiens. He was well out of his prime, and he bounced between the Vegas Golden Knights [http://thn.com/vegas], Carolina Hurricanes [http://thn.com/carolina] and Washington Capitals [http://thn.com/washington] in the previous three seasons. But Pacioretty continued to bet on himself, to the point he signed a pro tryout agreement with the Leafs. He showed enough in training camp to earn a spot with the Buds – albeit, on a contract that paid him the relatively modest amount of $873,770 [https://puckpedia.com/player/max-pacioretty]. Still, Pacioretty joined a Leafs club that had serious playoff aspirations, and that was good enough for him to agree to extend his career in the Blue and White. That said, it wasn’t as if the regular season was all sunshine and rainbows for Pacioretty. He once again had difficulty staying healthy, and he was a healthy scratch at times as well. To Pacioretty’s credit, he stuck with it, and along the way to the playoffs, he also became a physical power forward in a way he hadn’t been in his previous 16 seasons, certainly not in his early years as a cornerstone part of the Canadiens [http://thn.com/montreal]. His 12.61 hits per 60 minutes during the regular season is a career high. In doing so, he gave Leafs coach Craig Berube enough of a sample size to give him more chances. Pacioretty was again a healthy scratch to begin the first round against the Ottawa Senators. He didn’t get into any playoff action until Game 3, but that physical edge he developed wound up serving Pacioretty very well. In Game 6, Pacioretty wound up scoring the series-winning goal. It was a wonderful moment of redemption for him, and he went on a roll that included a two-assist performance in Game 1 of Toronto’s second-round series against the Florida Panthers [http://thn.com/florida]. He continued his roll with a goal and an assist in Game 2. Pacioretty has become a key component of the Leafs’ second line, playing alongside Tavares and William Nylander. He’s punishing opponents with his 6-foot-2 frame and opening up time and space for his linemates. All in all, it’s been a terrific career turnaround for Pacioretty. He may not get to the 1,000-game mark – he’s currently at 939 career regular-season games – but he’s managed to carve out a special place for two Original Six franchises, and he’s become an excellent example of what can await you as a player if you stick it out and flip the bird to Father Time. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
