Pacioretty signs 1-year, $2 million contract with Capitals

Max Pacioretty signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The contract also includes an additional $2 million for performance-based incentives.

The 34-year-old forward was limited to three goals in five regular-season games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season because of a torn Achilles.

Pacioretty did not play after being injured in the final minute of a 5-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 19.

He grabbed his right leg after making a pass near the Wild net and required help leaving the ice. Pacioretty had missed the previous two games with a lower-body injury and the first 38 this season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles.

"This was a unique situation for me," Pacioretty said. "I've never been a free agent before and obviously coming off an injury, there were a couple of scenarios how I could have played it. At the end of the day, I just thought that Washington was a great opportunity for me to come back and prove that I'm still the player that I once was and that I'm capable of coming back and scoring goals."

Pacioretty, who was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 13, 2022, had 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games in 2021-22 and is a six-time 30-goal scorer.

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He has scored at least 35 goals three times, including an NHL career-high 39 with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013-14.

"I think we've got to find a way to score more goals and that's what he does," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Sunday. "Really like the player. Obviously, he's one of the top goal scorers over the last number of years. Good player. Beyond the injury I still think he's probably better than what he was in his later years. We're excited to get him healthy and in our lineup."

Selected by Montreal with the No. 22 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, Pacioretty has 645 points (326 goals, 319 assists) in 855 regular-season games for the Canadiens, Golden Knights and Hurricanes, and 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) in 74 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"Our guys talked to the doctor who did the surgery. We got background on the history of what went on over the past little bit with his injury," MacLellan said. "So, we got to a comfort level … you know there's still some risks, but a comfort level and we think it can it can probably work out."

Also on Saturday, the Capitals acquired defenseman Joel Edmundson in a trade with the Canadiens for a third- and-seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Edmundson had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 61 games last season.

"There's options, I guess," MacLellan said about where Edmundson fits in the lineup. "He's been a top four guy at one point, he's been a bottom pair guy. I think we'll come in and see how the coaches want to use matchups. I think he'll get a shot playing with different guys and see who has chemistry and we'll kind of go from there."

MacLellan also said Edmundson is a "physical net-front presence, good leader, has some good size."

The Capitals (35-37-10) failed to qualify for the playoffs last season for first time since 2013-14. Spencer Carbery was hired as coach May 30 to replace Peter Laviolette, who agreed to mutually part ways with them April 14 after three seasons.

"I know that it was a situation last year that was tough for this group, and they had a lot of injuries," Pacioretty said. "I know it's an excited group of veterans that have won before and they're excited I think to have a new fresh voice come in and prove to some people that they can make it to the playoffs this year and do some damage."

NHL.com independent correspondent Harvey Valentine contributed to this report