Max Pacioretty Benched in Maple Leafs Home Opener Vs. the Penguins

Only a few days before the start of the 2024-25 NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs confirmed an interesting acquisition: Max Pacioretty. The former Montreal Canadiens captain joined the Leafs on a professional tryout this summer and signed a standard player contract after training camp.

This is an interesting addition for general manager Brad Treliving. Pacioretty has a lot of experience and natural talent, but in recent years, he spent most of his time on the Long Term Injury Reserve. This explains why the team was able to get him for a reasonable salary.

In the preseason, Pacioretty impressed many people with his five-point tally in four games. In the first three games of the season, it has been a bit more difficult for the veteran.

While he scored his first official goal as a Maple Leafs player last Thursday against the New Jersey Devils and the Leafs' former head coach Sheldon Keefe, he faced quite a setback last night, in the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Indeed, the Leafs' new head coach Craig Berube tried some different things in the game to find a spark. In the end, it paid for Toronto, who won 4-2 against Sidney Crosby and the Pens, but Pacioretty was on the ice for only 10:56 after being demoted from the first powerplay unit and was limited to only three shifts in the third period.

Here's what Berube told reporters after the game to explain his decision:

Before people start panicking, let's remind everyone that Pacioretty did spend just over 10 minutes on the ice, but it's more than the game before when he was on the ice for a mere 9:36 against New Jersey. He only spent more time on the ice in the first game, when he played for 13:24.

I don't think this is worrying for Pacioretty. Low ice time seems like a trend, not an isolated incident. With all the depth in the Leafs' lineup, it's not surprising to see other players like Matthews and Marner play more than Pacioretty. As for his demotion from the first powerplay unit, things can change a thousand times in a season, and new coaches often like to try out new things, especially at the start of the season.

We'll monitor Pacioretty's situation in the coming games, starting with Wednesday night's clash against the Los Angeles Kings.