Last week, Max Pacioretty stated that he would not negotiate with the Montreal Canadiens on an extension to his contract once the season started.
That was taken as an apparent unacceptable threat from the Habs’ captain and the Montreal Canadiens promptly traded Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Knights are just months removed from having contended for the Stanley Cup and now are odds-on favorites to make another run at the Cup in this season;s Final.
Left Wing Max Pacioretty (#67) of the Montreal Canadiens file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Vegas general manager George McPhee is making every effort to ensure that outcome.
The Canadiens get Tomas Tatar, Vegas prospect Nick Suzuki and a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. That seems cheap for Vegas.
“One point that was very important for us was to get a young prospect, what we call an A prospect,” Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said. “So that was a key that was very important to the organization and that’s what we were able to get in Suzuki.”
Pacioretty’s tenure in Montreal became untenable in the off season when he reportedly asked for a trade.
“Last season there was a request,” Bergevin said Monday. “He asked for a trade. I will not go into detail. But that’s a fact, yes.
“The reason is, if a player asks for a trade, there’s a reason for that. And we accommodate the player. To me, a contract extension was not on the table.”
Montreal’s offe3rs over the off season were spurned by Pacioretty and his agent and the Habs were unwilling to budge from their stand.
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