Max Pacioretty announced his retirement on Tuesday after a distinguished 17-year career in the National Hockey League and promptly accepted a new role in collegiate athletics.
The 36-year-old will join the University of Michigan as a special assistant to head coach Brandon Naurato.
“After 17 seasons in the NHL, I’m excited to begin this next chapter with Michigan Hockey,” Pacioretty said in a statement.
“I’m so thankful for the teammates, coaches and fans who have been a part of my journey. “Hockey has given me so much, and now I have the opportunity to help develop the next generation of players. Michigan has a tradition of producing elite talent, and I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned to help these guys grow on and off the ice.”
Félicitations à l'ancien capitaine des Canadiens Max Pacioretty pour sa brillante carrière de 17 saisons dans la LNH, et tout le meilleur pour la retraite!
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 30, 2025
Congratulations to former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty on a great 17-season NHL career, and best of luck in retirement!… pic.twitter.com/Gxsuufep8r
Selected 22nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2007 NHL Draft, Pacioretty concluded his career with 681 points across 939 games, representing the Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Over the course of a decade in Montreal, he captained the club for three seasons and scored 226 of his 335 career goals with the team, contributing to the Canadiens’ advancement to the Eastern Conference Final in both 2009 and 2014.
As he always did, Pacioretty didn’t go down without a fight. He was never afraid to challenge players much larger than him, albeit it did get him into trouble at various stages in his career. And although Pacioretty ultimately came up short in his goal to win a Stanley Cup, he gave everything he had. In his swan season with the Leafs, he added eight points in 11 playoff games before his team was eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in seven games in the second round.
Max Went Out Fighting
The fact that Pacioretty extended his playing career in the NHL until the age of 36 stands as a testament to both his resilience and discernment. Twice, he endured a ruptured Achilles tendon during his tenure with the Hurricanes—injuries that led many to speculate that his career had reached its conclusion. Yet he persevered, refusing to concede at that moment. Now, with retirement officially declared, he has chosen not to withdraw from the sport entirely but rather to give back to it—most notably through his new role with the University of Michigan Wolverines.
“Bringing in a guy like Max is huge for us,” Naurato said. “He’s been through it all in the NHL and knows what it takes to play and lead at the highest level. Our players are going to learn a ton from the way he sees the game, how he prepares and how he carries himself. “It’s exciting to have that kind of experience around every day. Having an alum like Max back around the program reminds our players that they’re part of something bigger, and that’s the Michigan Hockey legacy.”
Pacioretty also won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2012 as the player who most represented perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey after he recovered from a nasty concussion and a fractured vertebra following a heavily-controversial hit dished out by then-Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara the year before.
Now the focus turns to how the Wolverines will draw upon Pacioretty’s wealth of experience as they embark on their next chapter. His presence provides a model of resilience, leadership, and professionalism forged over nearly two decades at the game’s highest level. For Michigan, this could shape the future of their institution as they prepare their student-athletes for the broader challenges of the sport and of life beyond it.