Maximillian Kolenda Pacioretty
(born November 20, 1988) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
left winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL).
Pacioretty was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, in the
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007. The draft ...
by the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
; he would go on to captain them for his last three seasons with Montreal and score 30 or more goals in five of the seasons with Montreal. He was traded to the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
before the
2018–19 NHL season
The 2018–19 NHL season was the 102nd season of operation (101st season of play) of the National Hockey League. 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 3, 2018, and ended on April 6, 2019. The 2019 St ...
; although the move revitalized his career, he was dealt to the Hurricanes four seasons later due to the Golden Knights' salary cap complications.
Playing career
Amateur
![Max Pacioretty UM](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Max_Pacioretty_UM.jpg)
As a youth, Pacioretty played in the 2002
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with the New York Rangers
minor ice hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
team.
Pacioretty played high school hockey at
New Canaan High School
New Canaan High School is the only public high school in New Canaan, Connecticut.
In 2017, it was ranked the best public high school in Connecticut, and one of the top 200 in the nation. New Canaan High School was ranked the 74th best STEM high s ...
in which he led the state in points during his freshman year, and then moved on to
The Taft School
The Taft School is a private, coeducational school located in Watertown, Connecticut, United States. It teaches students in 9th through 12th grades and post-graduates.
About three-quarters of Taft's roughly 600 students live on the school's ...
in Watertown, Connecticut. Pacioretty then played junior hockey for the
Sioux City Musketeers
The Sioux City Musketeers are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The Musketeers' home ice is Tyson Events Center. The team was founded in 1972, and has won three Anderson Cups a ...
of the
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...
(USHL) for one season in 2006–07. Following the campaign, Pacioretty was selected in the first round, 22nd overall by the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
during the
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007. The draft ...
; the pick had been previously acquired by the Canadiens in a trade with the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. He spent the
2007–08 season with the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, recording 15 goals and 38 points in 36 games.
On July 17, 2008, Pacioretty signed a three-year, entry level contract with the Canadiens.
Professional
Montreal Canadiens
Pacioretty made his NHL debut with the 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
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. 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
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL), the Canadiens' top minor league affiliate, Pacioretty was recalled for the second time to the NHL on December 12, 2010.
On March 8, 2011, Pacioretty suffered an injury following a hit by
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
defenseman
Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chára (; born 18 March 1977) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals between 1997 a ...
. The force and location of the hit resulted in Pacioretty colliding with the
stanchion
A stanchion () is a sturdy upright fixture that provides support for some other object. It can be a permanent fixture.
Types
In architecture stanchions are the upright iron bars in windows that pass through the eyes of the saddle bars or horizo ...
at the end of the bench. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher after lying motionless on the ice for several minutes. The extent of the injury was revealed the next day to be a fracture to the
4th cervical vertebra (C4) and a severe
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
. One Bruin,
Mark Recchi
Mark Louis Recchi (; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach. Recchi played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, ...
, questioned the severity of the concussion during an interview stating that Pacioretty was at a movie theater four days after the incident. For delivering the hit, Chára received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and after reviewing videotape of the play the NHL decided no further punishment was warranted. However, a criminal investigation was announced by the
Montreal Police Service
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-p ...
. Additionally,
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada by the size and passengers carried. Air Canada maintains its headquarters in the borough of Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and ...
threatened to remove its League sponsorship if the NHL did not take any action to prevent further violence on ice. Pacioretty recovered in time to start the 2011–12 season with the Canadiens.
For Pacioretty's part, he could not remember the incident, but after seeing the tape said that he was "disgusted" that there was no fine or suspension. About two months later, he said that he thought Chára regretted his actions and that he forgave him.
![Max Pacioretty - Montreal Canadiens](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Max_Pacioretty_-_Montreal_Canadiens.jpg)
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
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL h ...
for "perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." He recorded his first career hat-trick on February 9, 2012, against the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
.
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
The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland and is the top tier of the Swiss league system. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was known as National League A. During the 2018–19 season, the league ha ...
team
HC Ambrì-Piotta
Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta is a Switzerland, Swiss professional ice hockey club and a member of the National League (ice hockey), National League (NL). The club was founded September 19, 1937, and is also known as "Bianco-Blu" (English: white and b ...
.
On February 6, 2014, Pacioretty became the first Canadien to have two penalty shots awarded in the same game, against the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
and goaltender
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
, also becoming just the second player in NHL history to be awarded two penalty shots in the same period. These were his second and third NHL career penalty shots, the first occurring earlier in the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
on October 12, 2013, coincidentally also against the Canucks and Luongo. Pacioretty missed all three penalty shots, but nonetheless still scored a hat trick in the February 6 game.
On September 15, 2014, Pacioretty was named an alternate captain of the Canadiens along with
P. K. Subban
Pernell-Karl Sylvester Subban ( ; born May 13, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 2009 and 2022, he played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, a ...
,
Tomáš Plekanec
Tomáš Plekanec (born 31 October 1982) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He has played most of his professional career for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey ...
and
Andrei Markov.
On September 18, 2015, Pacioretty was voted by the team to become the 29th captain in Canadiens history after going without a captain in the
2014–15 season with the departure of
Brian Gionta
Brian Joseph Gionta (born January 18, 1979) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Gionta began his NHL career in 2001 with the New Jersey Devils and has served as captain ...
.
![Canadiens vs Devils (16000093757)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Canadiens_vs_Devils_%2816000093757%29.jpg)
The
2017–18 season was disappointing for the Canadiens, who finished 28th overall in the NHL standings. After four-straight 60+ point seasons, Pacioretty recorded only 37 total points over the season. On March 2, 2018, Pacioretty left a game against the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
due to an injury, and a few days later it was announced that Pacioretty suffered a knee injury and was set to be out for four to six weeks.
The summer prior to his contract ending, there was speculation the Canadiens were intending to trade Pacioretty. There was a trade in place to send Pacioretty to the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
during the
2018 NHL Entry Draft
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the 56th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 22–23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the second of two professional sports drafts to be held in the Dalla ...
, but Pacioretty rejected the trade. He subsequently switched agents. Pacioretty confirmed in late August that he hadn't engaged in extensions talks with the club, signaling that the final year of his contract could also be the final year of his tenure with the Canadiens.
Vegas Golden Knights
On September 10, 2018, Pacioretty was traded to the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
in exchange for
Tomáš Tatar
Tomáš Tatar (; born 1 December 1990) is a Slovak professional ice hockey left winger for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). Tatar was drafted 60th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Playin ...
,
Nick Suzuki
Nicholas Suzuki (born August 10, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Vegas Golden Knights selected him in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2017 NHL ...
, and a 2019 second round draft pick. He subsequently signed a four-year, $28 million contract extension with the Golden Knights.
Pacioretty made his return to Montreal on November 10, 2018. Prior to the game, the Canadiens aired a video tribute for him, while he received a standing ovation from the fans. Pacioretty recorded nine shots in a 5–4 loss. He would finish the season with 22 goals and 18 assists, and add another five goals and six assists during the Golden Knights' seven-game opening round loss to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
in the
2019 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on April 10, 2019, after the 2018–19 regular season, and concluded on June 12, 2019, with the St. Louis Blues winning their first ...
.
Over the course of four seasons with the Golden Knights, Pacioretty scored 97 goals, forming a key part of the team's offense. In the
2021–22 season he was hampered with a broken wrist and foot, playing only 39 games.
Carolina Hurricanes
On July 13, 2022, Pacioretty and
Dylan Coghlan
Dylan Coghlan (born February 19, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Early life
Coghlan was born on February 19, 1998, in Duncan, British Columb ...
were traded to the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
for future considerations.
Just weeks into his tenure with Carolina, Pacioretty suffered a torn
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (h ...
during an offseason workout, necessitating surgery, and ruling him out for the first several months of the
2022–23 season. He made his Hurricanes on-ice debut on January 5, 2023 in a 5-3 loss to the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
and scored two goals in his second game on January 7, 2023 in a 5-4 shootout loss to the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
.
Personal life
![Max Pacioretty 2015 (cropped1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Max_Pacioretty_2015_%28cropped1%29.JPG)
Pacioretty is the brother-in-law of former NHL player
Maxim Afinogenov
Maxim Sergeyevich Afinogenov (, ; born September 4, 1979) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. Known for his skating speed, he was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Buffalo Sabres in the third round, 69th overall, in ...
; Pacioretty married Afinogenov's sister,
Katia
Katia is a feminine given name. It is a variant of Katya.
Notable people with this name
Actresses and models
* Katia Dandoulaki, Greek actress
*Katia Margaritoglou, Greek fashion model and beauty contestant
*Katia Winter (born 1983), Swedis ...
, in July 2011. The couple have four sons and one daughter.
Pacioretty's paternal grandmother, Theresa Pacioretty (née Savoie) is a French-Canadian from Montreal. Pacioretty's mother is of Mexican origin. Having grown up in Mexico, she was not familiar with ice skating but given Pacioretty's very high energy as a child, took him to a rink to expend energy. The family of Pacioretty's paternal grandfather Burton hails from the
Varese
Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559.
It is the c ...
region of
Lombardy, Italy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
, particularly the towns of
Ferno
Ferno is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about south of Varese. As of 31 December 2017, it had a population of 6,858 and an area of .All demographics and o ...
,
Gallarate
Gallarate (; Lombard: ''Galaraa'') is a city and ''comune'' of Alto Milanese of Lombardy and of Milan metropolitan area, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 54,000 people.
It is the junction of railways to Va ...
, and
Cardano al Campo
Cardano al Campo is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.
Cardano al Campo is located strategically for its economy, since it can be found at only 2 km from Milan-Ma ...
.
In March 2016,
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
introduced the "Max 67" burger which was only available in its Quebec restaurants.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honors
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pacioretty, Max
1988 births
Living people
American expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
American men's ice hockey left wingers
American people of French-Canadian descent
American people of Italian descent
American sportspeople of Mexican descent
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winners
Carolina Hurricanes players
Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) players
HC Ambrì-Piotta players
Ice hockey players from Connecticut
Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey players
Montreal Canadiens draft picks
Montreal Canadiens players
National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Olympic ice hockey players of the United States
People from New Canaan, Connecticut
Sioux City Musketeers players
Taft School alumni
Vegas Golden Knights players