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The Islanders & Taking A Chance On Pacioretty

By Stefen Rosner,

13 days ago

The New York Islanders finding another top-six winger would do wonders in strengthening their lineup heading into the 2023-24 season.

Yes, the Islanders will have around $25,000 in available cap space if and when Simon Holmstrom accepts his $874,125 qualifying offer.

Some other moves would be needed to allow the Islanders to add anyone else to their 21-man roster.

There's one name still out there that, for some reason, comes off as an intriguing addition, and that's 35-year-old forward Max Pacioretty.

The former Montreal Canadiens captain has been through hell and back regarding injuries, tearing his right Achilles in 2021-22 before returning to just tear it immediately again in 2022-23.

He essentially was on the couch for two years, with his career very much in doubt.

Pacioretty, who made it clear he was going to give it his all to get back to the NHL, signed a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals worth $2 million last summer.

In 47 games, the Connecticut native only scored four goals with 19 assists.

"I never had a year where I didn't score a lot of goals, and so that was new for me. That being said, it definitely took a lot for me to even get out there and get on the ice, and I take a little bit of a moral victory in that regard," Pacioretty said at his exit interview. "But at the same time, I was far from my old self, and it's hard to accept sometimes. That's just the reality of it. It is what it is. That was basically a shell of what I was.

"I don't know anyone else there's ever torn their Achilles three times. It's important for me to just keep doing the right things over and over again, and I hope I'm one day able to get to a level where I'm able to play at a high level. It's only been a year since my last surgery, I'm just going to keep working hard and see where things go." (H/t THN's Sammi Silber ).

Before Pacioretty signed with the Hurricanes ahead of the 2022-23 season, tearing his Achilles for the first time that summer, the veteran goal scorer seemed like a perfect fit for Mathew Barzal and the Islanders.

At that time, Barzal didn't have a running mate, acquiring Bo Horvat a year later, and with Pacioretty's ability to bury, it could have been a strong duo.

A few years later, Pacioretty, as he said, is a shell of his former self.

He no longer can be relied upon to score 30-plus goals, which he's accomplished six times over his 16-year NHL career, last doing so in 2019-20 with the Vegas Golden Knights.

But if Pacioretty is open to signing a one-year deal worth $1 million or less, would it be worth it for the Islanders?

Sure, there are probably younger, cheaper options out there, whether it's still looking at other unrestricted free agents or restricted free agents who failed to get a qualifying offer.

It may even make more sense for the Islanders to play their youth over an aging, injured veteran.

But there's still -- even if it's small -- a chance that Pacioretty can get back to being a 20-goal player.

The highlights above weren't masterful goals, but what it showed is that Pacioretty can still send home the pucks that need to be sent home, and that's been an issue for the Islanders, specifically from their depth forwards.

At a low cap hit on a one-year deal, it not only may help the Islanders now but would allow the Islanders' young forward prospects another year to grow, the same way Mike Reilly coming back on a one-year deal may serve as a stop-gap for defense prospects like Isaiah George and Calle Odelius.

The Islanders & Taking A Chance On Pacioretty

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