Max Pacioretty: Possibly the Most Underrated Star in the NHL
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The star power sitting behind Pacioretty on the goals list is stunning. Dynamic duos such as Perry and Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in Dallas and Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in Chicago are all behind him—in some cases well back. Sidney Crosby isn’t even close; John Tavares is but sits a touch back.
Professional
Pacioretty made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens on January 2, 2009, scoring his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot in a 4–1 loss against the New Jersey Devils. Upon his debut, he also became the first player in Montreal’s lengthy franchise history to wear jersey number 67. After starting the 2010–11 season playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League (AHL), the Canadiens’ top minor league affiliate, Pacioretty was recalled for the second time to the NHL on December 12, 2010.
Returning to action during the 2011–12 season, Pacioretty would end the year as the team’s points leader, finishing with a career-high 33 goals and 32 assists in 79 games, also winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” He recorded his first career hat-trick on February 9, 2012, against the New York Islanders.
On August 12, 2012, Pacioretty signed a six-year, $27 million contract extension with the Canadiens. In September 2012, as a result of the impending labor lockout, he signed a contract to play overseas with Swiss National League A team HC Ambrì-Piotta.
He plays a regular role on the penalty kill and has done for years, being trusted to do quality work in the defensive zone for the Habs. He’s 6’2” and 213 pounds and engages physically, routinely ranking among the club leaders in hits. Among Canadiens forwards this year, only Brendan Gallagher has more blocked shots at five-on-five—an accomplishment made more impressive by the fact the puck is more often than not in the opposition end of the rink when Pacioretty is on the ice.
Nor is Pacioretty paid like an NHL star. His cap hit is a relatively modest $4.5 million, and his contract runs through the summer of 2019; it’s an absolute steal for the Montreal Canadiens. Incredibly, just over a year ago, CBC’s Mike Dennis singled it out as the worst contract on the team:
While 39 goals is nothing to sneeze at, Mad Max is signed for the next five years and seems to have a bad season every other year. His goal totals the last four years are 39, 15, 33 and 14—although when he plays a full season he usually produces.
It was a clueless assessment. That 14-goal campaign came in 2010-11—Pacioretty played only 37 games as he had to work his way up from the minors. The 15-goal campaign was in 2012-13, a year which was infamously cut almost in half by an NHL lockout.
As invalid as that assessment was, it was only possible because Pacioretty somehow doesn’t have the reputation around the hockey world a player of his ability generally has. He scores goals, he hits, he blocks shots and he’s trusted in the defensive zone. There aren’t many players around the league who can boast all that and few who fly as under-the-radar as Pacioretty does.
It’s also worth noting he’s done it while mostly playing with either Tomas Plekanec or David Desharnais down the middle; both are fine players, but neither is an overpowering offensive juggernaut.
Just for good measure, in September, he was voted by his teammates as Montreal’s captain. NHL.com’s Arpon Basu noted Pacioretty’s opening comments came in French, a concession to the market former captains Saku Koivu and Brian Gionta didn’t make. Pacioretty explained to Basu why that was important to him:
This is my home now; me and my family take it very seriously. We call Montreal home and this is a big part of the culture. We understand that. So I’ve been getting classes for a year, and this should motivate me and my family to do even more. I hope to do so. I don’t think I’m going to be perfect overnight, but I’m going to do the best I can.
There are some signs Pacioretty’s profile around the league may be improving. Every fall, TSN polls NHL general managers, along with their own experts, to find out the top 50 players in hockey. For the first time, Pacioretty found himself included on the list, ranked No. 32 overall.
By Jonathan Willis,
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Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick. In many areas, one sport (typically field hockey or ice hockey is generally referred to simply as hockey.
