'I'm Dealing With It The Best I Can': Max Pacioretty Responds To Being Benched Again For Maple Leafs Against Rangers
The Maple Leafs forward will not dress for the second consecutive game when the club hosts the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Max Pacioretty was the last skater to leave the ice after the optional morning skate at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday.
Upon returning to his locker, the Toronto Maple Leafs veteran reflected on being scratched for the second straight game.
"I'm dealing with it the best I can. Just work," Pacioretty said. "I mean, I'm at this stage of my career for a reason. So would I rather be playing? Of course, anyone would rather be playing. But at the same time, I know I can help the team even when I'm not playing. And I had a good workout out there and just keep working on my game."
Pacioretty joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout with the expectation of earning a roster spot, which became official on Oct. 7. He signed a one-year contract with a base salary of $873,770, along with games-played bonuses: $313,115 after 10 games and another $313,115 after 35 games.
The Leafs have 13 forwards on their active roster. In the first three games of the season, Bobby McMann and Ryan Reaves were scratched for the first two, while John Tavares missed the third due to illness. Pacioretty, however, experienced his first-ever healthy scratch in the NHL during the team’s 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 16. Head coach Craig Berube was asked after that game what message had been sent to Pacioretty.
"There's no message," Berube said. " We have extra players and not everybody can play every night. That's the bottom line. I mean, he's been fine when he's played. But I've got to make decisions as a coach, and I'm going to make those decisions, what I think is best for the team."
Pacioretty echoed that nothing specific had been communicated to him about sitting out.
"I don't really need a message. I've played for a long time and I know it's a long season. And then if you're lucky enough to get in the playoffs, it's a whole new season there," Pacioretty said. "Obviously it's a big deal that I'm getting asked about it. But at the same time, I don't focus on any of that stuff that I can't control. I just can control coming in here and working on my game and being a good teammate."
At 35, Pacioretty has a goal in the three games he's played for the Maple Leafs this season. Speaking to The Hockey News last week, he mentioned feeling good about his first two games, though he admitted the third could have been better. He's been working with skating and development coaches to optimize his performance after recovering from two severe Achilles injuries over the past couple of years.
"I'm having fun right now working on my game," Pacioretty said. "I have a lot of resources here to work on my game. And whether I'm, you know, 19-years-old or 35-years-old, I always want to keep working at it. And I picked up some good stuff and feel good about what I'm working on right now.
Still, with everyone healthy, Pacioretty currently finds himself as the team’s 13th forward, waiting for an opportunity. Despite his desire to regain peak conditioning, he acknowledges that nothing can replicate game action.
"It is what it is," Pacioretty said. "I just keep working, and you know, things happen. It’s a long season, and I’m looking forward to the chance to get back in there."
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