Photo: Stathead Hockey
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Washington Capitals have signed unrestricted free agent left-wing Max Pacioretty to a one-year, $2 million contract, which also includes a $2 million bonus if the 34-year-old meets an unknown games-played mark. The deal also contains a no-movement clause.
Pacioretty was limited to just five games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season as he tore his Achilles twice but earned three goals.
Last time we saw Pacioretty (signed 1x$2M by WSH) play more than 5 games, he was an elite scorer and chance creator. Let’s see what he is now. #AllCaps pic.twitter.com/KvQK8GbtFe
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2023
Pacioretty has hit the 30-goal and 60-point marks six times, respectively, in his 15-season NHL career. In 855 career regular-season games with Carolina, the Montreal Canadiens, and Vegas Golden Knights, Pacioretty has tallied 326 goals and 645 points. He also has earned 25 goals and 49 points in 74 postseason outings.
Pacioretty was also limited to just 39 games with Vegas in 2021-22 due to multiple injuries.
Washington needed scoring help entering the opening of free agency on Saturday after getting held to an average of just 3.09 goals-per-game (20th) and only converting at a 21.2% efficiency on the power play (NHL average). Among Vegas skaters to appear in at least 35 games during his tenure from 2018-22, Pacioretty ranked third in power-play ice time per game (2:36).
Washington now has $3,563,333 in NHL salary cap space with 11 forwards, six defenseman, and two goaltenders under contract for the 2023-24 season. The team could look to add one more upgrade to their top-six forward group.
Pacioretty said he won’t be ready for the #Caps‘ season opener as he rehabs a twice-torn Achilles. But he hopes to be ready not too long after that.
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) July 1, 2023
By Harrison Brown
The rebuild has begun
This was a great signing. Can play on the other side of the PP for the one-timer. Definitely was the best option available for the top 6.
Great signing, can play other side of the PP for the one-timer. Best available option today. Most everyone else was pretty crap.
What happened to getting younger?
We’re gonna need more doctors!
Makes sense at 2 million. If he can play he’ll score 30+. If not, LTIR. Could trade him at the deadline.
I like it. I know the “youth only” contingent is pissed.
Did I miss the rule change where the NHL now allows guys to play in powered wheel chairs?
Nasty jokes aside, if he can pass a physical and skate anything like his old self, this is a good signing. Otherwise he just gets buried on IR, so there would be no cap hit anyway. Seems like a cheap bet on a player that has actually proven that he knows how to put a puck in an opponent’s net, as opposed to all but a few guys on the current roster.
Low risk, high reward signing. Edmundson will play some and AA will also and both of these are only for this year. Hershey kids will have to wait one more year to grab a full time job unless these 2 get hurt again.
Next Caps signing: Wayne Gretzky, so he and Ovechkin can fight for the goal-scoring record head-to-head every game! Yeah, Gretz is ancient and broken down, but Caps management has proven with their roster moves for the past several years that they don’t care how old or lame a player is as long as there are butts in the seats and eyeballs on Monumental broadcasts/streams…
Actually, I hate to admit it, but I WOULD watch every game if those 2 guys were in the lineup…
I expected the Caps to go after Jagr last year, especially after his video taunt to Ovi passing him.
Like this signing as it cost no picks and if he can produce like he has in the past will be a great sign for 1 year. Like someone on here said….”High reward, Low risk”. best of all low salary!!
Garrett Pilon to Ottawa/Belleville
I think Pilon belongs in the NHL.
I like this signing. Old guy but legit Top 6. We really need to move Mantha though.
I guess it’s a low-risk, high-reward signing, but coming off two Achilles tears… I dunno.
The low contracts being handed out this year make the Jensen and TVR overpays look even worse.
Horrible signing…..GMBM is desperate. This guy is hosed, so is Edmundson…picking a new team to watch next year…I feel bad for Ovie, stuck with a bunch of injury ridden has been’s and wanna be’s.
Well, this isn’t gonna make the “call up Hershey” crowd.
So let me see if I understand,you’re rebuilding with a signing of a player who’s been out of his team’s lineup’s more than he’s played???
Maybe the more his hairline disappears eventually you’ll find lobotomy scar!!