Reports: Maple Leafs Have Strong Interest in Max Pacioretty

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a left-winger. Turns out, there just happens to be one on the free agent market who has 330 career NHL goals to his credit. And we're hearing now that the Leafs are indeed in strong pursuit of veteran Max Pacioretty.

Break from vacation..

Sources confirm the Maple Leafs are among the teams firmly in the mix to sign veteran UFA forward Max Pacioretty.
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) August 29, 2024

The Buds are "firmly in the mix" to sign the 35-year-old, who is trying to re-establish himself after, essentially, three consecutive lost seasons due to a pair of Achilles tears to the same leg.

We reported last week that the six-time 30-goal scorer has "three firm offers" in hand, and now it appears that Toronto is the author of one of them. Insider David Pagnotta adds that it's not a PTO that the Leafs are looking at, but a standard player contract.

Pacioretty missed half of the 2021-22 season due to his first Achilles tear, then all but five games of the 2022-23 season after tearing his Achilles for the second time. It took him some time to get up to speed last year, and he managed just 4 goals and 23 points in 47 games for the Washington Capitals. His shot percentage plummeted to a career-low 4% from his normal 11% career mark.

Pacioretty said at the conclusion of this past year that he was "a shell" of himself, but clearly hopes that his 17th season gets him closer to full strength.

Can he be even 50% of the goal-scorer he once was? If so, he'd be worth a flyer for some secondary scoring in the bottom six, something which the Leafs are looking for, particularly if RFA Nick Robertson continues to maintain his stance of wanting out of Toronto.