Even after a quiet free agency, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren't closing the door on bringing Max Pacioretty back.
Toronto got a lot of their business done before the market opened by re-upping forwards John Tavares (four-year, $17.55 million), Matthew Knies (six-year, $46.5 million), and hometown kid Steven Lorentz (three-year, $4.05 million) earlier this week. This was in addition to the sign-and-trade that saw Mitch Marner go to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nicolas Roy.
In between all that, the Maple Leafs acquired skilled playmaker Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional 2027 third-round pick. It's a buy-low gamble on a young forward who scored 57 points (17 goals and 40 assists) in 82 games before tallying just 18 points last year.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving's last bit of business on July 1 was signing depth players, Michael Pezzetta and Benoit-Olivier Groulx, plus defenseman Dakota Mermis, to two-year deals with an annual average value of $812,500. Toronto also added former Maple Leaf Travis Boyd on a one-year, $775,000 contract.
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After several re-signings and trades, the Maple Leafs have just shy of $5 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. Could part of that money go into bringing back Max Pacioretty, who was reportedly leaning toward a return to Toronto a few weeks back?
"I think we talked about it the other day, we wanted to get through the first part of free agency here and see where it went, but I certainly haven't closed the door on Max," Treliving said on Tuesday, following day one of free agency. "But I haven't spoken to Allan (Walsh) here today on that."
Pacioretty joined Toronto on a one-year, $873,770 contract after arriving at training camp on a professional tryout last fall. After scoring five goals and eight assists in 37 games in the regular season, Pacioretty provided some much-needed playoff experience in the depth of Toronto's lineup.
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The veteran forward scored the series-winner against the Ottawa Senators in round one, plus the insurance marker in Game 6 against the Florida Panthers. Pacioretty had eight points through 11 playoff games, which was the fourth-most on the team, behind Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander.
It wouldn't hurt to have him back again for another playoff run in Toronto, especially with what he gave the Maple Leafs this past spring.
"Certainly came here to win the ultimate prize, and while it's one game that gets you to move on, but clearly not satisfied with that game at all," Pacioretty said in his end-of-season media availability. That part is very disappointing, but you live and you learn and thankful I got an opportunity to chase my dream."
(Top photo of Pacioretty: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)