Montreal Canadiens: The curious case of Max Pacioretty’s trade status
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens saw themselves in a situation where Max Pacioretty could’ve been traded, but the possibility of him being moved at all is in the air.
Max Pacioretty was one of the more buzz triggering names at the 2018 NHL Draft. He was a candidate to be moved back during this past season when it was clear the Montreal Canadiens were not making the playoffs. There were interested parties, but a trade never took place.
However, if there was ever a time to trade Pacioretty, the draft made the most sense. TSN’s Bob McKenzie shared a similar sentiment as he mentioned that the Habs would re-open efforts to trade the team captain at the event.
It seemed more likely as the days counted down to the draft. Ryan O’Reilly looked to be a top priority for the Montreal Canadiens as he’s established himself as one of the league’s best centres despite playing on poor teams for the majority of his career. The Buffalo Sabres weren’t going to give him away for free though, and the Habs third-overall pick may have been one of the desired pieces. But throwing in Pacioretty could’ve been an option as well.
Luckily Marc Bergevin didn’t go down that route, and Montreal used the pick to draft Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
But Buffalo wasn’t the only team buzzing around Pacioretty. The Los Angeles Kings had interest in acquiring the 29-year-old looking to add offence after a disappointing performance in the playoffs. If you watched the draft, there were some moments where the cameras would pan over to Bergevin and Kings GM Rob Blake talking. Was it a possibility? Yeah, but unfortunately one that was shut down.