TORONTO – Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty could return to the lineup for the playoffs, being a potential secret weapon for the Blue-and-White in the postseason. 
After a post-practice interview, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was asked about his confidence in the 36-year-old forward being able to lace up the skates for Toronto in the future.
“Pretty confident,” Berube said with a little chuckle. “Yeah, I’m pretty confident.”
Pacioretty suffered an undisclosed injury at practice after the Four Nations Face-Off break.
On Feb. 26, following a practice in Boston, Pacioretty would give an update to the media, which didn’t reveal much.
“Can’t tell you much,” Pacioretty said. “Just something that just popped up and have to take care of that and see how it responds here, I guess, the next couple days.”
He was then placed on injured reserve on Feb. 28.
Pacioretty started the year off looking fresh for the role he was given, recording 13 points in 27 games while being a physical-style player, which fit nicely in the Leafs’ system.
With his status being unknown, it was then changed on March 7, where Pacioretty would be moved to long-term injured reserve to allocate his cap hit to help bring in names such as Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton at the trade deadline.
Moving to the present, Pacioretty has constantly been on the ice skating and rehabbing away from the main group of players, showing real progress and a sign of making a return shortly.
Unfortunately, without waiving another depth player, the Leafs currently don’t have the financial flexibility to activate Pacioretty and his $873,770 cap hit in the season.
Even with Pacioretty needing to wait until the postseason to put on a Maple Leafs jersey, this could reap major benefits for the team if he is even close to fully healthy come playoff time.
Pacioretty and his heavy style of play was a positive early in the season, where he had the chance to start on the second line along with John Tavares and William Nylander.
The three were able to have early success in the year with a combination of speed and scoring from Nylander, playmaking and possession from Tavares, along with physicality and power from Pacioretty.
If Berube would like to take a chance and return to the line that started the year off hot, if they can find the chemistry from the beginning of the season, this would be a bonus to the Leafs’ depth.
With Pacioretty being active on the second line, this means Bobby McMann, who is one of the team’s top depth options for scoring, could move down into a bottom-six role.
This would make the Leafs’ depth a tougher group to play against, as a third line that includes McMann has been positive for a good chunk of the season.
Pacioretty alone will help the Leafs in a playoff series, as his playoff-style game could wear down the opposition, opening up ice for his linemates, and his prior playoff success and veteran leadership could spread across the locker room. 
If activated for game one of the playoffs, no matter where he is slotted in the lineup, Pacioretty could end up being a sneaky addition for success in the postseason.
Despite that, it will all come down to being healthy and maintaining it for the 36-year-old forward through a potential long playoff run.
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