It seems the Toronto Maple Leafs are exploring the possibility of signing veteran forward Pacior. Multiple sources, such as Nick Alberga of The Nation Network and Arthur Staple of The Athletic, have confirmed the team’s interest.
Alberga reported on Thursday, “Taking a break from vacation… Sources confirm that the Maple Leafs are one of the teams actively pursuing veteran UFA forward Max Pacioretty.” Reactions to this news were mixed, with some believing Pacioretty could still contribute, while others argued that the Leafs don’t need an additional goal scorer.
Adding an interesting detail, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period mentioned, “Hearing the same regarding the Leafs and Pacioretty. If an agreement is reached, it would be a standard player contract (SPC), not a professional tryout (PTO).” This suggests that the Leafs are considering a direct signing rather than a trial period, indicating a stronger commitment to Pacioretty.
Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports that the Detroit Red Wings have also expressed interest in Max Pacioretty. However, Staple adds:
“Pacioretty needs to demonstrate that he can still score goals. Teams like the Hawks, Utah, or the Flames, where he could take on a more significant scoring role, might be better options. A strong season could even lead to a trade to a contender at the deadline.”
The question remains whether the Maple Leafs will sign Pacioretty this summer and what the terms of the contract might be. Given his recent injury history, there doesn’t seem to be a high demand for him at the moment. While his previous cap hit was $2 million, it’s unlikely he will command a similar figure for the upcoming season.
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