The 34-year-old believes he can take a lot away from being around the Capitals captain.
Alex Ovechkin and Max Pacioretty have faced off against each other for years, with the former Montreal Canadiens captain being tasked with showcasing his own goal-scoring ability against him and the Washington Capitals. Now, though, Pacioretty will be on the same side as No. 8, and he's looking forward to that opportunity.
From 2013-14 to 2020-21, Ovechkin and Pacioretty were both in the top-10 when it came to scoring, with Ovechkin leading the league with 359 goals and Pacioretty ranking seventh with 236 goals over that span. One can also argue that he'd be further up the leaderboard through this past season barring major injuries.
While two injury-riddled seasons for Pacioretty didn't allow him to maintain the same scoring pace, he's eager to come back and showcase that ability and take a lot away from being with Ovechkin on a daily basis.
"You know, Ovi's obviously the best goal-scorer to ever play. I can learn a lot from him," Pacioretty said.
The 34-year-old also said that his playing style will fit in well with Washington, and he's confident he can help the Capitals rebound and get back to being a playoff team.
"At the end of the day, this is a big-boy lineup. There's a lot of big bodies in this lineup and we all know that when you get to the playoffs, if you get to the playoffs, that's a good way to make some teams pay and wear them down," Pacioretty said. "I really like this team. I think I can contribute by helping them score goals, maybe help out on the power play and you know, that being said, I'm focused on getting healthy and when I do come back, that's what I hope to do."
Pacioretty will miss training camp the start of the regular season while recovering and rehabbing from a second consecutive torn Achilles. He is expected to be ready shortly after 2023-24 kicks off.